Recap: Houston vs. Chivas USA

By Sports Network | The Sports Network • Published May 03, 2008

Goalie Brad Guzan posted his first shutout this season and Chivas USA ended its three-match losing streak to keep the Houston Dynamo winless after a physical 0-0 tie Saturday night in Major League Soccer.

Guzan, who nearly transferred to Aston Villa in the English Premiership before the season, had allowed 13 goals in five games but made five saves against the two-time defending champions.

The Chivas goalie made a few of his biggest saves in the final 10 minutes when his side was down to 10 men. Captain Claudio Suarez was red carded in the 82nd minute, one of nine cards issued in the match.

Houston (0-2-4) was shutout for the fourth time this season and hasn't scored in three of its last four games.

Chivas USA (1-3-2) got off to a bad start when Lawson Vaughn was kicked in the face by Houston's Dwayne De Rosario on an attempted bicycle kick. Vaughn had a gash below his right eye and had to leave in the 13th minute.

De Rosario was shown a yellow card for a reckless foul, and it started a night where the cards outnumbered the shots on goal.

Houston had the first great scoring chance in the final 10 minutes of the game when De Rosario broke free inside the penalty area by shot wide of the post.

About a minute later, Houston's Brian Mullan was through on a breakaway when a leg sweep by Suarez stopped the scoring threat but resulted in the red card.

De Rosario took the free kick from just outside the area but the ball didn't get through traffic in the box and the chance was wasted.

Guzan made two big plays in the closing minutes, and Houston punished him both times. Guzan made a play to stop a corner and ended up face down on the field. Not long after that play, Houston's Brian Ching kicked Guzan and the ball hit him in the face as the goalie raced out to make a play.

The Dynamo's Corey Ashe had the final scoring chance in the 89th minute when a perfect pass from De Rosario set him up on the left side of the box. But Guzan made his best save of the night to preserve the shutout and the tie.

Houston goalie Pat Onstad made three saves to match Guzan's shutout.

Game Notes