Nate Jaqua netted his second career hat trick, and Corey Ashe assisted on all three goals as Houston Dynamo maintained their lead in the Western Conference by holding off Real Salt Lake 4-3 on Saturday at Robertson Stadium.
With the win, Houston extended its unbeaten streak to four games, while stopping Real Salt Lake's win streak at two games. FC Dallas defeated Toronto 2-0 simultaneously however, meaning Dynamo's hold on first place in the Western Conference is only two points ahead of FCD.
Houston took the lead after just six minutes when Ashe picked up a loose ball on the left side of the area. He sent it to the middle where Jaqua one-timed it past Nick Rimando into the middle of the net for the goal.
Dynamo nearly doubled the lead in the 14th minute when Dwayne DeRosario took a pass from Joseph Ngwenya in the right side of the box and let one go, but Rimando made the save.
But Real tied the scored after just 18 minutes. Fabian Espindola gained control of the ball from Dynamo defender Richard Mulrooney in the area and took a shot from a very tight angle on the left side that went past Pat Onstad, hit the inside of the far post and bounced into the net.
The Dynamo took the lead back in the 28th minute when Mulrooney launched a free kick from the left side, some 35 yards from goal, into the area. Eddie Robinson came across the front of the area and headed the ball into the left corner of the net for his first MLS goal of the season.
Yet RSL came close to the equalizer in quick succession, almost from the kickoff. Alecko Eskandarian finished off the move with a shot from the right side of the box, but Onstad made a diving stab to his right.
Dynamo came close on a couple more set-piece chances as their defenders were again dangerous. In the 32nd minute another direct kick was sent into the box, but Ryan Cochrane's header sailed high. Then in the 43rd minute, Mulrooney flighted in a corner, but Robinson's header went wide right this time.
Dynamo extended their lead in the 48th minute when DeRosario gave Ashe a pass outside the left side of the area. Ashe crossed the pass in front of the six-yard box where Jaqua was there to send a one-timer with his left foot into the back of the net in a near carbon-copy of his opening goal.
Real again came close in the 51st minute when Javier Morales got his free kick on goal from just outside the restraining arc, but Onstad knocked it out.
Jaqua finished off his hat trick in the 58th minute when Ashe collected a loose ball and dribbled it up to the left corner of the area, before launching in a high cross that Jaqua this time headed down past Rimando's feet just inside the back post.
Now ahead 4-1, Dynamo continued to attack. In the 61st minute, Ngwenya had a breakaway shot from inside the box stopped by Rimando, who corralled the loose ball. Then in the 66th minute, DeRosario let one fly from above the left side of the area, but Rimando was there to knock it down.
Real started their comeback in the 69th minute when Carey Talley headed a corner by Morales into the lower left corner to cut the lead to 4-2. The Real midfielder was able to just sneak in front Onstad as he came off his line to try and snare the service, heading the ball into the unguarded goal.
RSL continued to chip away at the lead in the 83rd minute. Jean-Martial Kipre let an initial shot go from outside the right side of the area, but a Houston defender deflected it to Kyle Brown just right of the middle of the box. Brown fired away and nailed the shot home into the left side of the net for his first career MLS goal.
Salt Lake's final chance came in second-half stoppage time. But from a free kick, Talley's header rolled right to Onstad, and Houston was able to see out the rest of the game and hold on for the win.
Jeremy Rakes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
