San Jose Earthquakes extended Houston Dynamo's winless run to four matches with a 1-0 triumph in Texas on Tuesday.
A cleverly taken free-kick by Matias Perez Garcia just after half-time set up Adam Jahn to score as the Earthquakes won for the first time on their four-game road trip, which culminates against the Colorado Rapids on Friday.
The loss was Dynamo's second in a row, following on from two straight draws, meaning they have not tasted victory since a 3-0 triumph over Montreal Impact on April 11.
The win took San Jose to fourth in the Western Conference standings, while Houston are eighth.
The match was the first time Earthquakes coach Dominic Kinnear had returned to Houston since leaving Dynamo at the end of last season.
In the 54th minute, Perez Garcia whipped in a cross just after a team-mate had placed the ball for a free-kick - and with Dynamo's defenders half asleep, Jahn headed home unmarked.
Houston almost equalised immediately when San Jose goalkeeper David Bingham was judged to have brought down Boniek Garcia.
But Bingham palmed Giles Barnes' 58th-minute spot-kick past the post to ensure the Earthquakes maintained their lead.
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