HOUSTON -- Ricardo Clark and Oscar Boniek Garcia scored in the second half to lead the Houston Dynamo to a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday night.
Houston (13-8-10) remained one point ahead of Columbus for the fifth and the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Houston extended its home unbeaten streak to 23 games, with the last home loss coming June 18, 2011, against the Crew.
New England (7-16-8) is winless in its last three games.
Clark gave Houston a 1-0 lead in the 77th minute, taking a chip pass from Brad Davis into the right 6-yard box and one-timing it off the far post and in.
Clark had a chance to double the lead in the 81st minute, but his shot from 14 yards out in the middle was saved by New England goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth. Cam Weaver hit a shot from 14 yards out on the right off the near post a minute later.
Davis had a shot from the upper left box stopped by a diving Shuttleworth in the 89th minute.
Garcia made it 2-0 in second half stoppage time, taking a cross from Warren Creavalle and volleying it inside the far post.
New England had a couple chances in the 18th and 19th minutes to try to take the lead, but Benny Feilhaber had a free kick from 25 yards left of the middle batted over the crossbar by Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall.
Off the ensuing corner kick, Darrius Barnes had two shots in front of the net, but Hall knocked both attempts out of the box.
Will Bruin missed giving Houston a 1-0 lead in the 73rd minute, taking a ball into the left box and having his shot from 14 yards out on the left stopped by a diving save from Shuttleworth.
