The Houston Dynamo struck early, sat deep and saw it pay off in snapping an eight-game road losing streak with a 3-1 win over Toronto FC Saturday night at BMO Field. Toronto had almost 70 percent of the game's possession, including a 10-minute stretch in the 2nd half in which they topped 90 percent, but Houston were clinical on the counter attack to move back into the Western Conference playoff places.

Tommy McNamara and Tomas Martinez produced strong finishes to left-side attacks in the first half for the Dynamo against a Toronto FC team that made seven changes from Wednesday's win over the New York Red Bulls. Memo Rodriguez made the decisive pass on McNamara's 4th-minute opener, while Adam Lundkvist delivered the cross that led to Martinez's toe-poke.

The halftime insertions of Jozy Altidore and Jacob Shaffelburg improved Toronto's tempo, but an outstanding solo effort from Houston forward Mauro Manotas – slaloming through and past four Toronto FC defenders as the only Houston player in the attacking half – only added to the Dynamo lead.

Altidore later scored his third goal in as many games since the Concacaf Gold Cup, heading in a Shaffelburg cross, but Toronto never managed to create clear chances after Laurent Ciman's header was ruled out for offside.