HOUSTON - Houston Dynamo continued their dominance over FC Dallas Wednesday, claiming a 3-0 victory over their archrivals in the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Dynamo got on the scoreboard in the 13th minute as Eddie Robinson knocked a header past FCD debutant Shaka Hislop for an early Houston lead. The second half didn't get any better for the Hoops as Alejandro Moreno tallied in the 57th minute followed shortly after by Chris Wondolowski in the 61st minute to send Houston into the Open Cup semifinals, where a trip to play either the Colorado Rapids or Los Angeles Galaxy is due on Sept. 6.
Houston opted for a mixed group of starters and reserves but FC Dallas had a lineup that was nearly a full strength. With Ricardo Clark and Brian Ching in street clothes prior to the match, Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear showed confidence in his bench and it paid off. Rookie Stuart Holden helped to create the first goal by taking a strong shot from outside the area that forced a diving Hislop save.
The resulting Brad Davis corner in the 13th minute found the head of Robinson, whose simple flick-on header beat Hislop and put the Hoops in a tough spot early on.
Houston swarmed the ball defensively every time FCD crossed midfield, a tactic was successful as Carlos Ruiz and Kenny Cooper both took long range shots out of frustration at their lack of space up front.
Bobby Rhine nearly cost his team dearly in the 21st minute as he sent a ball into the middle of his own box where Chris Wondolowski intercepted it and took a shot that went wide right.
Dynamo forward Alejandro Moreno was a pest for the Hoops defense all night as he seemed to get under the skin of his markers. The chippy play often seen in the Texas rivalry was present from the start, but the Hoops were the aggressor in the first half, committing 14 fouls.
Ruiz nearly tied the score in the 53rd minute as he went up for a header that was saved by Pat Onstad to maintain the shutout.
Following the denial by Onstad it was all downhill for the Hoops as Moreno corralled a well placed punt by his 'keeper and went right at the defense. The Dallas defense botched the play, allowing the Venezuelan striker a clear path to goal where he got around Hislop and gave his club a comfortable two-goal lead.
Houston didn't let up the pressure with the lead as the subs coming off the bench for Kinnear got younger and younger.
The icing on the cake for Dynamo came in the 61st minute as Dwayne De Rosario struck a crafty free kick that came back off the bottom of the post just within reach of Hislop. The World Cup veteran, however, couldn't control the ball, and Wondolowski took advantage of the mishandled shot by putting the rebound in the back of the net and leaving no doubt that Houston would move on to the Open Cup semifinals.
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
