VANCOUVER - Pedro Morales scored on a penalty kick in the first half Saturday as the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated the Houston Dynamo 1-0.

The Vancouver captain sent Houston goalkeeper Joe Willis the wrong way from the spot in the 23rd minute after Dynamo defender Jalil Anibaba was judged to have fouled Whitecaps striker Masato Kudo in the area.

Morales leads Major League Soccer with four goals in as many games to start the season, all on penalties. Vancouver's other two goals in 2016 have also come from dead-ball situations — off a corner and an indirect free kick.

Vancouver (2-2-0) picked up its second victory of the campaign and second in as many weeks, while Houston (1-2-1) has now dropped two in a row.

One of three MLS games played this weekend during the international window, the Whitecaps were without starting central defenders Kendall Waston (Costa Rica) and Tim Parker (U.S. under-23), while midfielder Christian Bolanos (Costa Rica) and striker Blas Perez (Panama) were also unavailable.

Waston and Parker's absence meant that Pa-Modou Kah, who saw his first action of the season, was partnered alongside Andrew Jacobson, a midfielder acquired in a trade earlier this month capable of playing on the back line.

On the other side, Houston was without midfielder Boniek Garcia (Honduras) and forward Erick Torres (Mexico under-23), while striker Giles Barnes and goalkeeper Tyler Deric missed out with injuries.

On the same B.C. Place Stadium pitch where Canada missed some early chances in a 3-0 loss to Mexico in World Cup qualifying just 24 hours earlier, the Whitecaps had a couple of great opportunities prior to their breakthrough.

Kudo, who signed in December from Japanese club Hitachi Kashiwa Reysol, was handed his first start with Vancouver after previously playing 15 minutes as a substitute while recovering from an undisclosed injury.

He almost opened his account in the 15th minute when the Whitecaps countered off a Houston corner kick. Kekuta Manneh sprinted down the left before playing a ball to Fraser Aird, who in turn sent Kudo in alone, but he couldn't beat Willis.

The Houston 'keeper then stopped Jacobson on the ensuing corner with a nice save.

After Morales gave his team the lead, the Dynamo came close in the 33rd when Leonel Miranda rattled David Ousted's crossbar and Richardo Clark's follow up was deflected behind for a corner.

Ousted, who had 13 shutouts for Vancouver last season to tie for top spot in MLS, then had to be sharp six minutes later on Andrew Wenger's effort.

The Dynamo came in having scored a league-high 11 goals, but after Saturday have also now conceded eight, which puts them in a three-way tie for top spot in that category.

Houston didn't generate a lot in the second half until Clark hit the base of the post in the 72nd minute and substitute Abdoulie Mansally flashed another shot wide moments later.

Ousted had to make a save on Brazilian defender Alex in the 85th minute, but the wall did its job on a late Dynamo free kick as Vancouver picked up its first home victory of 2016.

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