FRISCO – Ramon Nunez wasn't even supposed to be on the field.

But Marcelo Saragosa's knee injury prompted FC Dallas to use Nunez early, and he made the most of the opportunity by scoring the decisive goal in a 2-0 victory over Chivas USA on Wednesday at Pizza Hut Park.

Goals by Nunez and Dominic Oduro, who scored in the 86th minute, broke FC Dallas' four-match winless streak against Chivas USA. The win increased Dallas' lead to six points over Houston and nine over Chivas USA in the MLS Western Conference.

Nunez entered the match in the 11th minute for Saragosa, who aggravated a right knee injury.

After playing in the first 11 matches, the 21-year-old Nunez, who starred at W.T. White and SMU, had been cast away. In the previous five matches, he played only 45 minutes, all during a 4-0 loss at Toronto.

"It was tough," Nunez said. "I wasn't happy coming into the game, and I'm still not happy about it. But I was professional about it, just kept working hard. I knew my time was going to come."

His time came in the 41st minute, when he hit a shot from the arch that sailed into the upper right corner of the goal. He silenced doubters by putting a finger in front of his lips.

"There were a couple critics out there," he said. "I just let them know I'm working hard to get back on the team in a fair manner."

It was Nunez's third goal of the season, but his first since FC Dallas (9-6-5) beat Colorado, 3-1, in the third match of the season.

"I kept saying to him in the last few weeks, 'You've got to fight hard to win your place back on the team like everybody else,' " FC Dallas coach Steve Morrow said.

The FC Dallas defense recorded its fourth shutout in the last five matches. Despite the return of two starters, Morrow stayed with the same back line he used in the previous game: Bobby Rhine, Aaron Pitchkolan, David Wagenfuhr and Clarence Goodson.

JUAN GARCIA / DMN

FC Dallas' Juan Toja (left) and Chivas USA's Alex Zotinca collide in the first half.

Still, FC Dallas had a hard time pulling away in the second half. Carlos Ruiz, who hasn't scored since the second match of the season, missed several scoring opportunities.

But Oduro sealed the match with his third goal of the season, off Argentinean midfielder Pablo Ricchetti's third assist of the year.

"It's always a good thing when you can get a good result, knowing you're not at your best," Rhine said. "You need those types of wins in the middle of the season."