The goal-deprived Houston Dynamo snapped a season-worst winless streak thanks to some help from their last opponent.
The Columbus Crew, meanwhile, couldn't muster any offense at all during their most recent match.
Houston and visiting Columbus each look to break out offensively as they square off Saturday night.
The Dynamo (4-5-6) had scored a total of six goals over an 0-4-3 stretch before beating Chivas USA 2-1 last Saturday. Brad Davis' 55th-minute corner kick pinballed off Chivas defender Heath Pearce for an own goal and the game-winner.
"I'm happy we won," coach Dominic Kinnear said. "It's been awhile. Give the guys credit for coming out of halftime determined. ... It was a kind of fluky goal. A little luck touched us, which we haven't had in awhile, but overall, I feel like we deserved the three points."
The Crew (4-4-6), who rank third-to-last in MLS with 1.0 goals per match, are tied with Houston for third place in the East with 18 points despite having played one fewer game.
They will likely need to come out with a better offensive effort than they did last weekend if they hope to keep pace.
Columbus didn't register a single shot on goal during its 1-0 defeat to Chicago on Sunday. The Crew had recorded at least one shot on goal in every game since a 2-0 shutout at the hands of the Fire on March 23, 2002.
"We didn't keep the ball well. We need to reconvene and discuss what to do next," forward Andres Mendoza told the Crew's official website. "We were tied at zero and lost our concentration. We need to be more focused all the way to the end."
If their play on the road is any indication, the Crew could have a hard time regrouping in this match. Columbus, which has scored a total of three goals while posting an 0-1-4 record all-time at Robertson Stadium, has been outscored 9-3 while going 0-3-3 as the visiting club this season.
Not helping matters will be the return of Houston defender Andre Hainault, who rejoined the team Thursday after Canada was eliminated from the Gold Cup.
The Crew, meanwhile, are likely to have Tommy Heinemann available after he missed the last two games with a left hamstring strain. Coach Robert Warzycha is hopeful that fellow forward Emilio Renteria, tied with Mendoza with a team-best four goals, will also be ready following a four-game absence (left quad strain).
"We want to be smart, we want to move the ball, move off the ball and create chances," Warzycha said. "More than anything we have to play our game, which we didn't do against Chicago."
