FC Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham followed up a four-goal performance with another goal, scoring the only goal of the game to lead FC Dallas to a 1-0 win against the Houston Dynamo on Thursday at Pizza Hut Park.
After missing a penalty kick attempt in the 13th minute, Cunningham redeemed himself with his ninth goal of the season in the 20th minute to give FCD just its second league win ever against its in-state rival.
Almost from the opening whistle, Cunningham showed a hunger to continue his recent hot streak. With the match just 13 seconds old, the veteran striker got a nice chance inside the Houston area but shot one to the left of the Dynamo goal.
In the 12th minute, the quick striker forced Houston defender Bobby Boswell to take him down inside the left side of his area. Cunningham stepped up to take the spot kick but his attempt to slip one inside the left post was rebuffed by Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad.
After a 16th-minute header by Cunningham sailed high, Onstad wouldn't be so lucky on the veteran scorer's next opportunity. After winning a battle for possession with Houston's Geoff Cameron near the top of the arc, Cunningham cut the ball back and blasted a shot in the right side of the net.
Cunningham's goal increases his career league goal total to 113, just one behind Ante Razov, who is currently second on the league's all-time scoring list. Razov has been injured since last year and has yet to play a single minute this season.
The visitors managed to create a few chances of their own in the opening half. In the ninth minute, Houston striker Dominic Oduro, formerly with FCD, made a nice dash up the left flank but saw his shot hit the left side of the goal netting.
An 18th-minute effort by Dynamo playmaker Brad Davis from distance was corralled easily by FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala and a free kick from about 30 yards out taken by Davis in the 30th was cleared from danger by the home side.
FCD did get a bit of bad news in the 22nd minute when captain Pablo Ricchetti was shown yellow after a hard foul on Houston's Brian Ching. That booking gives Ricchetti five cautions this season, making him ineligible for FCD's next game
At the break, FCD had seven total shots, three of which were on frame while the Dynamo had four with just one on goal. With Ching feeling fatigued at halftime, Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear opted to make a change to begin the second frame, bringing on Kei Kamara.
For the most part, FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman went with the same starting 11 that handed Kansas City a 6-0 defeat at Pizza Hut Park on Saturday. However, there was one exception as Drew Moor returned to start at right back after missing last weekend's win on suspension.
Kinnear also made one change to his first 11, bringing Corey Ashe into his midfield, a move that shifted Geoff Cameron to the back line, where Julius James started in Saturday's 4-3 win over D.C. United.
The first 20 minutes of the second half yielded little offense. One of FCD's few chances came in the 57th when Dave van den Bergh took a free kick from about 40 yards out. That boot was cleared by the Dynamo before falling to Ricchetti, who took a shot from distance that went to the left of the Houston goal.
In the 59th minute, FCD center back Kyle Davies fell to the ground with a groin injury and came off for Daniel Torres. Hyndman made another change in the 66th when Andre Rocha entered the match for Brek Shea. FCD's final change was in the 78th when Cunningham left for defender Blake Wagner.
Davis left the sideline early in the 73rd minute after he was ejected for dissent from near the Dynamo bench.
In the 86th, Rocha nearly made this win academic after a great attempt from distance. The Brazilian midfielder's blast, however, rattled off the crossbar and out of danger.
With the win, FCD has now won four in a row at home, increasing their home record to 5-3-3. It was their first four-match home winning streak since the 2006 season, when FCD started off the campaign with four straight wins in Frisco.
FCD also won for just the second time against its in-state rival, both of which have come in Frisco. On Sept. 2, 2006, FCD beat Houston 1-0 in Frisco thanks a goal by Arturo Alvarez in a match when the Dynamo finished with only 10 men. Tonight's victory was also FCD's first of 2009 over a Western Conference foe. Before tonight, they were 0-6-4 against their conference rivals.
Houston moves on to play host Chicago on Sunday night at Robertson Stadium while FCD will enjoy a weekend off before preparing for a trip to face Columbus on August 15.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
