Two goals from Will Bruin helped Houston Dynamo reach the last eight in the Major League Soccer playoffs at the expense of Chicago Fire.
Bruin broke the deadlock on 12 minutes when he headed home from Brad Davis's precise corner kick.
The 23-year-old forward doubled his tally in the first minute of the second half, coolly finishing from 18 yards after good link-up play between Ricardo Clark and Calen Carr.
Chicago rallied and created a nervy end to the game, as Alex latched onto Arne Friedrich's lofted through ball to fire home seven minutes from time.
However, last season's finalists held on to record a deserved win and they will now face Sporting Kansas City over two legs in the next round.
