Dwayne De Rosario scored one equalizer but it was his failed attempt at a second that ultimately led to his club's demise as Houston Dynamo fell 3-1 at the Los Angeles Galaxy in their U.S. Open Cup semifinal Wednesday night at The Home Depot Center.
De Rosario scored in the 11th minute to tie the game at 1-1 but had a penalty kick stopped by Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman in the 45th minute, moments after Landon Donovan had given the hosts a 2-1 lead.
It is the third consecutive tournament that Dynamo has fallen at the hands of the Galaxy. As the San Jose Earthquakes a year ago, the club lost to the Galaxy in the Open Cup quarterfinals as well as the first round of the Major League Soccer playoffs.
Dynamo will have an opportunity for revenge Sunday when the two clubs play in Carson in a regular-season match.
The two sides traded early goals. Alan Gordon struck six minutes in when he rose over several players from both teams and powered a header into the back of the net on a corner kick from Landon Donovan.
Five minutes later, De Rosario scored an improbable goal. De Rosario carried the ball into the penalty area and Galaxy defender Tyrone Marshall slid and knocked the ball out of the box. The ball trickled toward the corner, hit the corner flag and remained in play. De Rosario scooped the ball up and unloaded a cannon on goal. The ball apparently fooled Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman as went off his hands over the goal line at the near post.
A three-minute span at the end of the first half decided the match. Donovan scored on a well-struck free kick from 22 yards in the 43rd minute. Donovan's shot froze Onstad and nestled into the corner of the net.
In stoppage time, Galaxy defender Ugo Ihemelu flattened Houston striker Alejandro Moreno inside the penalty area and referee Jair Marrufo pointed to the penalty spot. Hartman atoned for his earlier goal and stopped De Rosario's spot kick and the Galaxy went into the break with a 2-1 lead.
In the second half, the Galaxy did well to contain Dynamo's offense. De Rosario was not much of a factor early in the stanza as the Galaxy contained Dynamo's standout midfielder.
Dynamo had a quality scoring chance in the 70th minute when De Rosario found Chris Wondolowski on the right side of the penalty area but Wondolowski's shot went off Marshall and over the crossbar.
Brian Ching came on for Wondolowski while Dynamo set up for the corner kick. Ching headed the set piece into the side of the net.
Ching returned to Dynamo for the first time since Aug. 12, when he suffered a torn knee meniscus which required surgery four days later.
Several late flurries ended harmlessly for Dynamo before Santino Quaranta scored in stoppage time to give the Galaxy a 3-1 margin and send them to the U.S. Open Cup Final for a second consecutive year, when they will take on the Chicago Fire on Sept. 27 at Toyota Park.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
