HOUSTON (AP) — Emiliano Rigoni scored late in the second half and Brad Stuver finished with six saves to help Austin FC cool off the Houston Dynamo with a 1-0 victory on Saturday night.
Rigoni scored for the first time this season — in the 88th minute — off CJ Fodrey’s first career assist. Fodrey, a 20-year-old forward, made his first start and appearance this season after playing 29 minutes in three appearances last season, his first in the league. Fodrey used his head to set up Rigoni’s left-footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner of the net.
Stuver notched his first clean sheet of the season for Austin (3-3-3).
Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo (4-3-1), who have allowed just eight goals through eight matches.
Houston, which just extended second-year coach Ben Olsen to a contract extension through 2026, entered play having won four of its last five matches to move into third place in the Western Conference.
The Dynamo saw the return of Héctor Herrera, who had yet to play this season because of an injury. Herrera subbed in for Latif Blessing in the 62nd minute and missed his only shot.
The last time Houston won five of six matches came in 2019 when the Dynamo got off to a club-record 6-1-1 start.
Austin returns home to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. Houston travels to play in-state rival FC Dallas on Saturday.
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