Nelson Quinones, Amine Bassi, Corey Baird and Franco Escobar scored goals as Houston Dynamo FC continued their solid play at home with an easy 4-0 win over Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark only had to make one save to record his seventh shutout of the season and the 57th of his MLS career.
All six of Houston’s wins this season have come at home and the Dynamo (6-7-3, 21 points) have allowed just two total goals in those six victories.
LAFC (7-2-5, 26 points) had a four-game league unbeaten streak snapped and lost for the first time in MLS competition since falling at San Jose on May 6.
The Dynamo dominated throughout, getting on the board in the 11th minute. Quinones ripped a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner from just inside the left side of the box after a mini-breakaway and a cross into the zone by Adalberto Carrasquilla.
Los Angeles FC pushed for the equalizer, getting a shot from Diego Palacios in the 43rd minute that was saved in the bottom left corner by Clark.
Houston added to its lead in the 50th minute as Bassi converted from the spot after Quinones drew a foul in the penalty area from LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead. Bassi found the bottom left corner with a right-footed shot when Los Angeles keeper John McCarthy dove to his left.
The Dynamo continued toward their big win when Baird beat McCarthy in the 69th minute with a right-footed shot from the center of the box. He dribbled into the goalmouth upon receiving a pass from Aliyu Ibrahim.
Houston capped its night with a goal in the 89th minute by Escobar from outside the box to the top right corner after an assist by Hector Herrera.
–Field Level Media