COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Goals by Chad Marshall and Eddie Gavin allowed Columbus to run its home unbeaten streak to 20 games Saturday with a 2-0 decision over Dallas.
The Crew increased their lead atop the Eastern Conference to seven points over idle Chicago.
Marshall scored on a header off a corner kick in the 10th minute, and Columbus goalkeeper William Hesmer preserved the lead by stopping a point-blank shot by Jeff Cunningham in the 74th minute.
Cunningham had scored eight of his nine goals this season in the previous five games.
Gavin clinched it in the 87th minute by bringing the ball out of his own end of the field and running past a group of weary Dallas players.
Dallas remains mired in next-to-last place in the Western Conference.
