(Sports Network) - Dwayne De Rosario scored from the penalty spot in the 86th minute to help the Houston Dynamo record its first win of the season, a 2-1 triumph over the Colorado Rapids at Robertson Stadium on Saturday. Brian Ching tallied his first goal of the season shortly before halftime, but the Rapids answered midway through the second half from as Omar Cummings leveled the match with 20 minutes to play.

However, Colorado's Ugo Ihemelu was called for handling the ball inside his own area in the 85th minute, and De Rosario held his nerve from the spot to secure three points for the defending MLS champions.

Ching should have put the Dynamo up after 18 minutes when he was put in on goal by a De Rosario through ball. Ching was all alone with Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, but he tried to chip the keeper and sent the ball over the crossbar.

De Rosario drove a 25-yard free kick wide four minutes later, and Ching put another shot over the net from inside the area midway through the opening half.

Houston continued to look dangerous in the final five minutes of the half when De Rosario turned a header on net from a right-wing cross that forced a diving stop from Coundoul, but the netminder made a mistake before the half that cost his team a goal.

A long ball from the back was nodded in behind the Colorado defense by Stuart Holden, allowing Ching to run onto the ball. Coundoul came off his line to the top of the box to clear it, but he missed the ball, allowing Ching to roll it into the empty net.

The Rapids created a good chance in the 59th minute when Cummings got into the box on the right and cut the ball back towards the middle. He was only eight yards from goal when he decided to take a shot, however Houston defender Bobby Boswell did well to get his leg out and block the effort.

Cummings did get on the scoreboard minutes later when Christian Gomez threaded a nice ball to him at the top of the box. The striker hit the ball first time and found the bottom left corner to level the match at 1-1.

With Houston still searching for its first win, the club got a bit of luck with five minutes to play when a long throw-in was handled inside the box by Ihemelu.

De Rosario then stepped to the spot and sent Coundoul the wrong way, slotting the ball into the lower left corner.

The Rapids final chance came deep into stoppage time when substitute Colin Clark drove the ball on goal from the left, but it was smothered by Houston keeper Pat Onstad.



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