Coco Carrasquilla scored on a bicycle kick from near the penalty spot in the 83rd minute and the visiting Houston Dynamo extended their unbeaten streak to five matches with a 1-0 victory over Austin FC on Saturday.
Off a corner kick late in the match, the Dynamo’s Erik Sviatchenko sent a soft header toward the front of the Austin FC goal, and Carrasquilla did the rest with a backward shot over his head for his third goal of the season.
It was Houston’s first-ever victory at Austin in six matches, and the Dynamo also set a single-season club record with their eighth road victory on the year.
Steve Clark made five saves for the Dynamo (13-8-9, 48 points), who are 3-0-2 during their unbeaten run.
Austin (9-13-8, 35 points) lost for the first time in three matches against Houston this season.
Brad Stuver made three saves for Austin FC, who have won just once in five matches since the MLS regular-season schedule resumed. The club is lurking near the playoff line in the Western Conference.
The Dynamo started the day in seventh place in the West, with the top nine teams in the conference advancing to the playoffs. Austin was one spot below the playoff line entering Saturday’s action.
Austin FC showed aggression throughout the first half and early into the second, with three yellow cards in the opening 57 minutes.
Austin leading goal scorer Jader Obrian had a chance to tie the match from in front of the goal in the 89th minute, but his shot was saved by Clark. Teammate Alex Ring had a shot from in front in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, but his attempt went just over the crossbar.
Austin FC midfielder Sebastian Driussi returned after a one-match suspension for yellow-card accumulation and earned another yellow in the 33rd minute.
–Field Level Media
