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Dynamo, Onstad set shutout record in tie

Jul 16, 2007 - 4:17 AM HOUSTON (Ticker) -- In the final game before the All-Star break, the Houston Dynamo flexed their defensive muscles.

Goaltender Pat Onstad helped his squad set a new league record by playing Toronto FC to a 0-0 tie on Sunday.

Onstad was rarely tested - making two saves - as the Dynamo set a new MLS record for scoreless minutes at 699, surpassing the previous record of 681 set by Kansas City in 2000.

Onstad did not consider the record his, however.

"It is a team record," Onstad said. "I always thought goals against is a team statistic. As I've said before, it starts with our front two. When they put pressure on the ball, it makes the other team's job very difficult. I think the guys follow suit when those two guys are working hard."

Houston (10-5-3), which has not lost in nine matches dating back to May 26, outshot Toronto FC 15-4 for the game.

"That's something you will always remember. This is one of the best defenses in team history at least until it's broken," Dynamo defender Eddie Robinson said. "I think it's been like seven years since that record was set. Even if it takes another seven or ten (to break it), but, who knows, maybe we aren't done yet. We just want to keep that streak going."

Houston's Ricardo Clark had the best chance to snap the scoreless tie in the 61st minute. Clark took a pass on the right side of the box and volleyed it into the air before blasting a shot just wide of the right post.

"It's a frustrating game. We had a lot chances, obviously," Clark said. "I thought we did the job. There's not much more you can say. It's just a frustrating game. At the end of the day, we had some chances, but we couldn't finish and that hurt us. It's a hard tie. It kind of feels like a loss."

In the ensuing corner kick, Nate Jaqua gathered the ball on the right side and fired a shot towards the right post, but goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic made the save.

Four minutes later, Stuart Holden raced down the left wing and received a pass with open field in front of him, but his shot went wide and hit the side of the net.

Toronto FC (5-7-4) rarely moved the ball out of their half of the field and put little pressure on Onstad and the Houston defense.

Djekanovic made four saves for Toronto FC and was under constant pressure as the Dynamo kept attacking and controlled possession for most of the second half.

"Again, our tactic with Lombardo was to have him go in there and work his butt off for, I think it was 33 minutes," Toronto coach Mo Johnston said. "It was important that we kept our shape in the back and look to play in the corners and move the ball up, and it worked very well to take four points off of the champions."