Dynamo blank Earthquakes 1-0
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Brad Davis converted a penalty kick in the
14th minute to give the Houston Dynamo a 1-0 victory against the
San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
With two road wins in as many weeks to open the season, the
Dynamo have already matched their 2011 total in that category.
Houston (2-0-0) is on a seven-game road trip while awaiting
completion of the club's new stadium.
San Jose (1-1-0) took 22 shots, but only put five of those on
goal, and the Earthquakes could not break through against
Houston's defense, which has yet to give up a goal in 2012.
Davis' goal came off a penalty drawn by Houston's Brian Ching.
The sequence began when Dynamo midfielder Adam Moffatt chipped a
ball into the penalty area for Ching to run onto.
San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch came off his line to play the ball
at the edge of the 6-yard box, but whiffed and suffered an
awkward full-body collision with Ching, who had beaten
Earthquakes center back Victor Bernardez on the play.
Davis pulled the penalty shot to his right, placing it in the
side netting past Busch, who guessed correctly but still
couldn't deflect the shot.
San Jose pushed forward in the second half, spurred on by
substitutes Marvin Chavez and Tressor Moreno, who made his MLS
debut.
In the 61st minute, Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall came up with a
one-on-one stop against Chris Wondolowski, who has a league-high
35 goals since 2010. Khari Stephenson collected the rebound, but
his shot was blocked by Houston defender Jermaine Taylor.
Moreno set free Shea Salinas in the 81st minute, but he found
side netting with his shot, even as Wondolowski lurked free at
the back post.