By IVES GALARCEP
The Houston Dynamo looked like a team in danger of falling out of the playoff picture, but if we have learned anything over the years, it is that you can never count the Dynamo out when the post-season is approaching.
The Dynamo snapped a four-match winless streak, and catapulted into fourth place in the Eastern conference, on the strength of a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night at PP&L Park.
Ricardo Clark headed home a long free kick from Brad Davis to give the Dynamo a precious road win that helped them move back into a playoff place after previously residing in sixth place to start the weekend.
The match had its share of controversy after a 30th-minute Keon Daniel free kick beat Tally Hall only to be waved off after Amobi Okugo was whistled for interfering with Hall on the kick.
The Dynamo nearly opened the scoring in the 21st minute, but Cam Weaver squandered two quality scoring chances just seconds apart to keep Houston off the scoreboard early.
The Union nearly found their own opening goal just three minutes later when Conor Casey headed a perfect Fabinho cross just over the crossbar for what was one of the Union’s best chances of the night.
Jack McInerney’s struggles continued as he saw a golden opportunity to equalize slip by him in the 72nd minute. The second-half substitute slipped a close-range shot just wide of goal on a night that extended his goal-less drought to 12 matches.
The loss dropped the Union into sixth place in the East, tied on points with fifth-place Chicago, which has a game in hand. The Union have a week off now before returning to action against Sporting Kansas City on Sept. 27th.
Here are the match highlights:
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