Brian Ching redirected a ball into the net in the 33rd minute, and Houston Dynamo held on from there as the they claimed a 1-0 victory against D.C. United on Sunday night at Robertson Stadium.
In a battle of the two hottest teams in the MLS, Dynamo extended their unbeaten streak to eight, while D.C. United suffered their first loss in three matches and only their second defeat in 11 games.
The shutout was also the fifth in a row for Dynamo, who have now not allowed a goal in 515 minutes, the third-longest shutout streak in MLS history.
With the win, the Orange climb into a first place tie with FC Dallas in the Western Conference, while D.C. United slides back into a second place tie in the Eastern Conference with New England. The New York Red Bulls took over the top spot by virtue of their victory over the Colorado Rapids Sunday.
The game's first chance fell to Houston in the 15th minute, when Dwayne De Rosario picked up a loose ball outside the penalty area. But his shot went right to D.C. goalkeeper Troy Perkins.
United narrowly missed opening the scoring four minutes later. Christian Gomez's free kick from 30 yards out on the right side took a bounce inside the area and sailed over the dive of Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad. But the ball cracked against the crossbar, and Houston was able to clear to keep it scoreless.
Dynamo started to gain the upper hand in response. In the 23rd minute, Stuart Holden's free kick arced to the middle of the box where Ching headed it wide left. Then in the 26th minute, Ching took a cross-field pass from Joseph Ngwenya and fired a shot from outside the area on the left that was deflected by a United defender, then batted out by Perkins.
In the 30th minute, United's Luciano Emilio had a short breakaway in the middle of the box and fired a shot to the right that Onstad came off his line to stop with a diving save.
Dynamo took the lead in the 33rd minute. Off Stuart Holden's corner kick, Patrick Ianni headed the ball off a defender's foot, and it rolled out above the restraining arc where Richard Mulrooney fired away. Mulrooney's shot went through the middle of a pack in front of the goalmouth, and Ching, who was in front of the goal area, redirected the ball into the left side of the goal.
In first half stoppage time, Houston had another opportunity as De Rosario took a pass from the right side of the box and crossed it to Craig Waibel in the front of goal. Waibel's sliding shot, however, dribbled to Perkins, who corralled it to end the half.
The Orange nearly doubled their lead to open the second half. In the 50th minute, Holden crossed from the left side to Ching on the right side of the area. Ching headed the ball back toward the far post, but it went just wide.
De Rosario was issued a yellow card in the 52nd minute for a tackle from behind, but he followed that up by leading a 3-on-2 break in the 53rd minute. Holden received a pass from De Rosario on the left side but fired a shot that went wide.
D.C. got their first shot of the half in the 66th minute when Ben Olsen fired one from outside the area on the left that went high.
Chances were starting for both teams now. In the 71st minute, Brian Mullan took a shot from the top of the box that went right into the hands of Perkins. D.C. charged down the field and Gomez fired a shot from the left side of the area that Onstad deflected away. Substitute Rod Dyachenko had a good look at goal in the 74th minute, but it sailed high of the net.
Houston went back down the field, and Nate Jaqua, playing in only his second game with Dynamo, fired from outside the box but sent his effort wide right in the 75th minute. Three minutes later, Mullan took a pass from Ching, but Mullan's one-timer from the right side of the box went wide left.
United were still in the game, and had a couple of chances to snatch a late tie. In the 80th minute, Clyde Simms fired a bullet from outside the area, but put it wide. Then in the 87th minute, Devon McTavish sent a curling shot from the right corner of the box, but his shot sailed into the hands of the waiting Onstad, and Dynamo held on for yet another clean sheet.
Jeremy Rakes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
