Recap: Late goals give Dynamo 2-0 win over visiting Revs

HOUSTON – Ricardo Clark scored his first goal since returning to the Houston Dynamo and it proved a big boon to their playoff hopes.

After 78 minutes of tepid soccer, the midfielder got just enough of a touch on a close Brad Davis low cross and hit it to the far post, past New England goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth. Clark found a way to keep his footing on the rain-soaked surface to get the winning touch.

Houston added a second in the 93rd minute from Boniek García to seal a crucial 2-0 win over the New England Revolution at BBVA Compass Stadium. 

The win runs Houston’s home unbeaten streak to 23 MLS regular-season games, good for second all-time, and more importantly keeps the Dynamo, who improved to 49 points, in playoff position; staying one point clear of the Columbus Crew, who got a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Union earlier in the evening.

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The late goals were the bright spots in the first MLS game played in the rain at BBVA Compass Stadium, with Dynamo and Revs playing an understandably choppy match with few chances.

Both teams struggled to find their footing in the first half, both figuratively and literally, as the rain and frequent use of the field made for a slick surface.

The action picked up in the 18th minute when Davis was whistled for a foul on Honduran international Jerry Bengtson and Benny Feilhaber woke the match-up. The US World Cup veteran, who made his first start since Sept. 1, curled a dangerous 30-yard free kick over the wall, forcing a leaping save from Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall to keep it out of the upper 90.

After Feilhaber’s chance, New England took every chance to test Hall, trying several times from distance with no luck.

The visitors came close again in the 31st minute when Bengtson went around a charging Hall and sent a ball across that was initially cleared by Jermaine Taylor but resulted in two chances from Dimitry Imbongo.

Houston had their best chance of the half four minutes later when Clark was just wide of punishing Shuttleworth, who made five saves on the night, for a poor clearance.

OPTA Chalkboard: Choppy match punctuated by two late strikes

After a similarly slow start to the second half, Feilhaber once again threatened to liven things up with a swerving free kick, but again Hall was equal to it at the hour mark.

Houston came close to taking the lead in the 73rd minute but Shuttleworth kept the scoreline square, making a spectacular diving save on Will Bruin’s last touch of the match.

After Clark scored, rookie Warren Creavalle, who entered just minutes before, pushed the ball down field and hit a curling cross that found a streaking García who drove home his third MLS goal.

The Dynamo will now move on to host the Montreal Impact on Oct. 6 at BBVA Compass Stadium. New England’s woes continue as they stay on 29 points and will host the Philadelphia Union the same evening.

MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match