Ercan Kara scored two goals as Orlando City SC broke a four-game winless streak by defeating the visiting Houston Dynamo 2-1 on Saturday night.
Kara supplied his fifth and sixth goals of the season. He has four goals in the last four games.
Orlando City (7-5-4, 25 points) has four points in two games since returning to MLS action following a gap in the schedule. The team had a loss and three draws prior to this result.
Sebastian Ferreira scored for the Dynamo (5-7-3, 18 points), who have scored a total of two goals across their last three regular-season games.
Houston was in its first MLS game since the international break, losing its third consecutive game.
Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made four saves for Orlando City. Steve Clark stopped four shots for Houston.
Kara’s first goal came with a shot from close range in the 25th minute. He was assisted by Facundo Torres.
Kara struck again in the second half. He scored on a left-footed shot from the box, with Mauricio Pereyra picking up an assist in the 58th minute.
The Dynamo responded right away to Orlando City’s second goal. Houston got on the board in the 59th minute when Ferreira scored on a header. Zeca assisted with a cross.
Kara left the game for a substitute in the 79th minute, so a chance for a third goal disappeared.
The Dynamo threatened several times down the stretch, including with a corner kick in extra time. Thorleifur Ulfarsson’s shot in extra time was saved by Gallese.
Ulfarsson was assessed a yellow card several minutes before that, marking one of the six yellow cards doled out to the Dynamo.
–Field Level Media