Houston Dynamo down Chivas USA, 5-1

Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2013 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September The Houston Dynamo (12-10-7, 43 points) kept their playoff chances alive as they rallied for four goals in the second half to down Chivas USA (6-16-8, 26 points) by the score of 5-1 in front of 20,157 fans at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The five goals scored by the Dynamo was the highest goal total in an MLS game since the inaugural game in 

Houston on April 2, 2006, when they defeated the Colorado Rapids by the score of 5-2 on four goals by Brian Ching.
At the end of the first half, the Dynamo held a 1-0 lead as a result of a Giles Barnes goal in the 39th minute; with an assist by Brad Davis.
Chivas evened the score in the 50th minute when Eric Avila found the goal for the score on an unassisted kick.
Then the Dynamo’s scoring assault began with goals by Barnes in the 54th minute and Will Bruin in the 63rd 
minute.
Barnes scored his goal off an assisted pass by Brad Davis and Bruin’s goal, which was his seventh of the season, was unassisted.
 
Boniek Garcia finally got his first goal in the orange and while colors of the Dynamo when he took a fine pass from Bruin in the 79th minute and adeptly put it in the net for the Dynamo’s fourth goal of the night.
He added an insurance goal in extra time when he received a penalty kick to round out the scoring for the Dynamo.
With the win, Houston is in sole possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Montreal and three points ahead of New England.
They will next play W Connection in a CONCACAF Champions League game on Wednesday, Sept. 28 with a 7 p.m. start.

Their next MLS game will be on the road against New England on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013.

Dynamo-Chivas USA Battle to Tie in SuperLiga Action

(Chivas USA's Ante Jazic (6) and Houston Dynamo's Cam Weaver (15) both go for a header in the SuperLiga tie at Robertson Stadium. Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved)

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2010 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 18, 2010) With an overcast sky, rain in the forecast and the temperature a muggy 80 degrees, the Houston Dynamo faced off against Chivas USA in the second match for both teams of SuperLiga 2010 on Sunday evening at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium.

Houston was coming off a 2-1 win over Pachuca CF on Thursday night at home, while Chivas fell to Puebla FC 2-1 at the Home Depot Center.

Both teams battled for supremacy in an attempt to advance to the second round, but the best each team could do was settle for a 1-1 tie.

The Dynamo struck first on an unassisted shot from the top of the box by midfielder Lovel Palmer in the 6th minute.

Spirited play and a reckless tackle by Dynamo defender Andrew Hainault in the 18th minute resulted in the match’s first yellow card.

Teammate Eddie Robinson picked up the Dynamo’s second yellow card of the match for a technical foul in the 35th minute while attempting to defend a Chivas USA attack in front of the Dynamo goal.

In the 45th minute, Dynamo forward Corey Ashe got the ball at midfield and began solid run towards Chivas’s goal; passing off to forward Cam Weaver in the final scoring attempt of the 1st half. Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy got a hand on it before it found the goal, to keep the score at 1-0 at the half.

Chivas USA received their first yellow card of the match when defender Michael Umana got a bit reckless on a tackle in the 41st minute.

The second half saw Chivas USA substitute Osael Romero for Marcelo Saragosa in an obvious attempt to close down the Dynamo attack from the middle.

Palmer make a daring right footed attempt at the goal in the 49th minute to try to increase Houston’s lead, but a quick body block and catch by Kennedy foiled the attempt.

In the 57th minute, Houston substituted midfielder Danny Cruz for Brad Davis. Cruz was given a rousing round of cheers by the Dynamo fans, the Batallon, and the Texian Army as he left the field.

Ashe made another spirited run at the goal in the 65th minute, receiving that ball at the left side, about 15 yards out. He sailed a shot across the bow of the goal, barely missing the net by the width of the ball.

Chivas finally got on the scoreboard in the 71st minute when a corner kick by midfielder Rodolfo Espinoza was headed by midfielder Jesus Padilla right past the outstretched arms of Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall.

The Dynamo quickly came back with two shots from 12-yard out in the 73rd and the 75th minute. Neither shot found it way into the goal to keep the score even.

Chivas substituted midfielder Ben Zemanski for Blair Gavin and came back one minute later with another substitution; defender Mariano Trujillo for Carlos Borja.

Dynamo defender Adrian Serioux went down at midfield in the 83rd minute, grasping his left leg in pain. He was quickly pulled from the game and replace with Richard Mulrooney.

After four minutes of stoppage time, the score remained at a one-all tie.

The Dynamo are now 1-1-0 (4 points) after two games of Group A of SuperLiga 2010. Chivas USA is 0-1-1 (1 point). Houston will face Puebla FC at 7:00pm Wednesday, July 21 for their final game of the first round. Chivas USA will face Pachuca CF at the Home Depot Center at 7:30pm (PST), also on Wednesday.

2008 SuperLiga Games, Times Set

By Robert H. Kelly
Copyright 2008 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 13, 2008) The teams and sites for the 2008 edition of SuperLiga was recently announced. The SuperLiga is a North American soccer competition between teams from Mexico's Primera División and the Major League Soccer.

SuperLiga will decide the best in the region and will also award $1,000,000 to the winner; the heftiest winner’s purse in North American soccer history.

The second edition of the cross-border showdown is set for July 12 to August 5.

The Houston Dynamo, DC United, New England Revolution and Chivas USA will represent MLS while Chivas Guadalajara, Atlante, Pachuca and Santos will represent Mexico.

The groups, schedules, and venues are as follows:

Group A
Houston Dynamo
D.C. United
Guadalajara
Atlante

Group B
Chivas USA
New England
Pachuca
Santos


July 12: DC United - Guadalajara @ RFK Stadium in Washington DC, 8pm
July 12: Houston - Atlante @ Robertson Stadium in Houston, TX, 10pm

July 13: New England - Santos @ Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, 8pm
July 13: Chivas USA - Pachuca @ Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, 10pm

July 15: DC United- Atlante @ RFK Stadium, 8pm
July 15: Houston - Guadalajara @ Robertson Stadium, 10pm

July 16: New England - Pachuca @ Gillette Stadium, 8pm
July 16: Chivas USA - Santos @ Home Depot Center, 10pm

July 19: DC United- Houston @ RFK Stadium, 8pm
July 19: Atlante - Guadalajara, Location to be determined, 10pm

July 20: Chivas USA - New England @ Los Angeles, 8pm
July 20: Santos - Pachuca, Location to be determined, 10pm

July 29: Semi-final 1, Time and location to be determined

July 30: Semi-final 2, Time and location to be determined

Aug 5: Final, Time and location to be determined

All times are Eastern Time Zone.