The Houston Dynamo moved to third in the MLS Eastern Conference as they recorded a narrow 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy, thanks to a strike from Giles Barnes.
The visitors should have taken the lead within the first 15 seconds on the match when Samuel Rosa latched onto a poor back-pass from Giles Barnes and raided into the box, but he fired wide from six yards.
Los Angeles went close again just before the break when Robbie Keane released AJ DeLaGarza who fired a shot past Tally Hally, but David Horst cleared the ball off the line with a brilliant header.
After half time, the home side threatened and came within inches of taking the lead when Omar Cummings lifted a cross into the box. Andrew Driver drove onto the ball at the back post, but his effort clattered off the woodwork and went wide.
However, minutes later the Dynamo did take the lead when they capitalised on a mistake by Dan Gargan as he tried to find Jaime Penedo with a throw in, but the keeper was robbed by Mark Sherrod who found Barnes to fire into the empty net.
Barnes had the opportunity to double his side's lead as he latched onto a through ball from Will Bruin and he fired an effort at goal which went just wide of the post.
The Galaxy pressed late on for an equaliser and came close through Keane as he raced onto a pass from Gyasi Zardes, but his right-footed shot went inches wide of the post as the Dynamo held out for the win.
Simon Sinclair
