The Los Angeles Galaxy kept their winning streak alive and stayed in the hunt for the MLS Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 win against Houston Dynamo at Roberston Stadium on Sunday.
The win is the Galaxy's fourth in a row, including three consecutive road victories. Los Angeles hadn't won a road game in the 2007 MLS season before last week, recording a 0-7-4 record away from The Home Depot Center before embarking on its current winning streak. On the other side, Houston had complied a 8-2-4 record at home before losing to the Galaxy.
With the win, Los Angeles remains six points behind the eighth-place Chicago Fire, though Los Angeles holds a game in hand over Chicago and the two teams are scheduled to meet in the regular season finale.
After Nate Jaqua gave Dynamo a 21st-minute lead, Carlos Pavon pulled the Galaxy level just before halftime, then Gavin Glinton scored the game-winner in the 77th minute. Landon Donovan, recently named the Honda Player of the Year, recorded his team-leading 10th assist of the season on the Galaxy's first goal, and the second came on a play initiated by a Donovan free kick, though he wasn't credited with the assist.
Throughout the game, the Los Angeles defense held Houston to only three shots on goal, compared to the Galaxy's seven. Defender Troy Roberts did an excellent job of containing Houston's leading scorer, forward Joseph Ngwenya, who had several dangerous runs cut short by sharp tackling from the Galaxy rearguard.
Houston started the scoring off in the 21st minute, when Jaqua was left unmarked on the back post while Ngwenya crossed the ball in from the right side. The low cross went behind two Galaxy defenders to the open Jaqua, who had a free tap-in into the open net, as Galaxy goalkeeper Joe Cannon was at the near post in preparation for the cross.
Los Angeles almost answered Houston's goal in the 36th minute, when defender Chris Klein crossed the ball to midfielder Kyle Martino. Martino was ready at the back post, and his diving header was aimed back across the face of the goal. Fellow midfielder Cobi Jones stretched out in an attempt to redirect the ball into the net, but came up just short and the ball slipped past the post and out of bounds.
The Galaxy drew even in first half stoppage time. Donovan received a throw-in and punched the ball forward for Pavon. The move caught the Dynamo defense off guard, and Pavon took the ball in space with no Dynamo defender within 10 yards. His shot crossed the entire face of the goal and found the side of the net just inside the far post for the equalizing score.
In the 77th minute, Glinton scored the go-ahead goal for the Galaxy in a play initiated by a Donovan free kick. Jones met Donovan's kick about eight yards out in front of the right post and headed it high towards the left post. Glinton, running full speed towards the post, leapt up and touched the ball into the net just before it would have gone out of bounds.
Despite three late corner kicks and a desperate Houston drive to equalize the score, the Galaxy held firm and kept the Dynamo attack off-balance as Cannon was not required to make a single save over the final 13 minutes.
Riding their winning streak, the Galaxy return home to take on Toronto FC next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center. Dynamo will travel to face Real Salt Lake on Mon., Oct. 15.
Lucas Ogden-Davis is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
