HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. CD GUADALAJARA
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 9 p.m. CT
Robertson Stadium, Houston, Texas
Group Stage - GROUP A - Match 6
REFEREE: Enrico Wijngaarde (SUR)
ASSISTANT REFEREES: William Torres Mejia (SLV); Juan Zumba Galan (SLV)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Ricardo Salazar (USA)
The Houston Dynamo and Chivas de Guadalajara meet at Robertson Stadium knowing that a victory will all but secure a place in the SuperLiga semifinals. The teams come off victories in their opening Group A matches, the Dynamo rolling to a 4-0 win against Atlante FC, while Chivas saw a late penalty kick saved in a 2-1 win against D.C. United.
Houston Dynamo
After having scored just two goals in their last five games in all competitions, the Dynamo exploded for four goals against Atlante to open SuperLiga competition. "Some of the goals were really pretty, especially the third one," Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said. "I thought the third goal was really our best one tonight. The guys were really electric coming out of the locker room and I am just really happy to see them score some goals." Said two-goal man Stuart Holden: "If you look at the last couple of games where we haven't been scoring, we were close. This was overdue to be honest with you and once one went in, they just kept going and that seems to be how it is for us. To put four in the back of the net is a great feeling." But there could be issues with the Dynamo strike force for the Chivas game. Dwayne De Rosario is suspended after being sent off, and Brian Ching was unavailable for the Atlante game with an abdominal strain. It was the first win in a game for the Dynamo since June 8. "I think they just came out and played well. We have had some moments this year, but the play all the way around tonight was excellent."
CD Guadalajara
While Chivas certainly felt fortunate to have come away with the victory, they felt they could have put the game away in the first half. "We combined in the first half with excellent ball possession, good movement, a lot of depth (in attack) and I think we could have scored another goal. ... We were fortunate to win the game because we wasted at least three clear opportunities at goal," said coach Efraín Flores. In the second half, Flores said, D.C. United showed Chivas is still building toward the start of the Apertura. "In the second half we faced a D.C. team very different - they threw more men forward and caused us some inattention." Flores had his entire team to call upon for the SuperLiga opener, with the exception of Alberto Medina, injured in training the day before the match in Washington, D.C., after scoring two goals vs. Tecos in their final preparatory match. "We have a young group but very talented, and I think our only absence was Alberto Medina ... We need him, and that's why his injury hurt us."
State of Play: Group A
With opening match winners Houston Dynamo and CD Guadajalara meeting in Houston, a victory by either team there will all but secure their passage to the semifinals. Conversely, a loss by either D.C. United or Atlante FC in Washington will all but end any hopes for advancement to the final four.
