Houston Dynamo FC earned three points at PNC Stadium after defeating Chicago Fire FC 2-0 Saturday evening.
With the victory Houston earned their sixth triumph of the season and tallied their fifth clean sheet in league play.
The Dynamo took the lead in the 23rd minute off a cross from midfielder Memo Rodriguez. The Dynamo Academy alum found forward Thor Úlfarsson at the far post for his second goal of the season. Úlfarsson brought the ball down with his head inside the box and improvised with a karate-like kick to beat the Fire goalkeeper.
The Dynamo doubled their lead in the final minute of first half stoppage time after forward Darwin Quintero dribbled past a Chicago defender and beat Gabriel Slonina at the far post. Dynamo defender Adam Lundkvist found the Colombian playmaker at the far post and he scored his sixth goal of the season with a low shot.
Chicago had the first threat of the game in the third minute following a header from Chris Mueller, the forward’s header just went over the crossbar at the near post.
Úlfarsson nearly scored the opening goal of the match in the 14th minute off a cross from defender Daniel Steres. The Duke University alum headed the ball over the Fire goalkeeper, but his effort just went wide of the far post.
Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark was called into action into the 43rd minute to save a shot from Mueller at the near post. Clark finished with four saves against Chicago.
Dynamo forward Sebastian Ferreira nearly tallied his seventh goal of the season in the first minute of stoppage time in the first half. The Paraguayan international controlled a ball inside the box and forced a point-blank save from the Fire goalkeeper at the near post.
Quintero played a through ball for Ferreira in the 56th minute and the Paraguayan international curled a shot inside the near post that was ultimately ruled offside by referee Ismir Pekmic after a VAR review. Ferreira forced a save four minutes later following a pass from Úlfarsson near midfield.
The Dynamo travel to Oregon on Wednesday to face the Portland Timbers at Providence Park at 9:30 p.m. CT. The match will air live in English on AT&T SportsNet and in Spanish on TeleXitos 47.2. Houston returns to PNC Stadium on Sunday, June 3 to host Charlotte FC at 7:30 p.m. CT.
