First-place Dynamo shut out Wizards

Kamara goal gives Houston bounce back win against Kansas City

Dynamo striker Kei Kamara notched his fourth strike of the year on an 18th minute header. (Stobe/Getty)

Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad earned his eighth shutout of the year, tops in Major League Soccer, as the Dynamo picked up their league-leading ninth win of the year and moved to 9-3-4 (31 points). Kansas City is now 5-6-4 (19 points).

The goal came on the Dynamo's first shot of the game as Kamara notched his fourth goal of the year on a superb assist from Mike Chabala. Chabala sent a cross over K.C. defender Rauwshan McKenzie for his first assist of the year as the 6-foot-3 Kamara outjumped the 6-foot-1 McKenzie to the ball. Defender Corey Ashe was given the second assist on the play -- his third.

Once it gained the lead, Houston showed exactly why it has the best record in MLS. The Dynamo played solid soccer on all levels, especially after shoring up a defense that Kansas City exposed for four solid scoring chances in the first 21 minutes.

Shortly after the Houston score, McKenzie nearly made up for the goal in the 21st minute, but his header narrowly missed wide left after a neat, bending free kick from Claudio Lopez.

Earlier, in the third minute, Josh Wolff missed just left with a header in front of the net after a superb entry from Herculez Gomez.

Wolff took another crack at the goal in the seventh minute with a shot on goal from the left side that was collected cleanly by Onstad, who entered the contest as the league's most efficient 'keeper at 0.67 goals against per contest.

Gomez and Wolff nearly put the Wizards on top in the 10th minute, but Wolff's slide couldn't reach Gomez's cross in front of the net.

After McKenzie's header, opportunities dried up for the Wizards until the 55th minute, when Michael Harrington's attempt on a Wolff pass was smothered by Onstad.

The Wizards next best attempt to even the game came in the 70th minute as Gomez launched a ground-skimming rocket just wide right from the top of the 18-yard box. Twelve minutes later, an unmarked Wolff streaked down the right side and took aim at the Houston goal, only to have it stay wide right.

A minute later, Wolff's fourth and final attempt of the night came as his header from six yards away, off of a Jack Jewsbury cross, took a hop up to the crossbar and deflected off before being cleared by Houston.

Kansas City's next chance to tie came in the 88th minute, but reserve Abe Thompson's 19-yarder from the top of the box was denied by Onstad, who finished the game with three saves. Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman notched four. The final shot of the night came on a free kick from Claudio Lopez, after a foul by the Dynamo's Geoff Cameron on Wolff. Lopez's attempt was just wide to Onstad's right, though it sent the crowd into a frenzy as it rippled the outside of the net.

Throughout the game, Kansas City also had numerous chances off set pieces, courtesy of seven corner kicks, but was unable to convert. Houston had six corners.

For the game, Kansas City took 15 shots to Houston's nine. Of those, however, the Dynamo managed five shots on goal to KC's three.

Houston and Kansas City each face a quick turnaround as each will play in the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, Houston at USL-1 side Charleston Battery and Kansas City at MLS side Seattle Sounders FC. The Dynamo then travel to Seattle for a league game next Saturday, while the Wizards will once again face the New England Revolution.

Curtis Kitchen is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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