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Houston Dynamo Rolls Over Los Angeles Galaxy, Clinches Playoff Berth
Sept. 17, 2007
MLS champions Houston will have the opportunity to defend their title after rolling over Los Angeles 3-1 at the Home Depot Center to clinch a berth in the 2007 playoffs.
Houston lead the Western Conference standings with 45 points from 26 games, one more than second placed Chivas USA .
The Dynamo totally dominated the match, and a 31st minute goal from Ryan Cochrane opened their account.
The Galaxy equalized five minutes later through Alan Gordon who headed home a Landon Donovan corner kick for his first goal of the season.
Second-half goals from Dwayne De Rosario (PK, 47') and Ricardo Clark (73'), powered Houston to a comfortable win.
Canadian Dwayne De Rosario scored the tiebreaking goal and had an assist to lead the Houston Dynamo to a playoff berth with a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday night.
By extending their unbeaten streak to five games, the Dynamo (13-7-6) regained first place in the Western Conference by one point over Chivas USA . The win, along with Columbus ' loss on Saturday and Colorado 's tie Sunday, made the Dynamo the first Western team to qualify for this year's MLS playoffs.
"It was a huge win for us," De Rosario said. "We all had one thing in mind and that was getting three points (for the victory)."
Vancouver native Pat Onstad made one save in picking up his 11th win of the season.
Toronto native De Rosario, who scored the tying goal for Canada in a 1-1 friendly draw against Costa Rica on Sept. 12, broke a 1-1 tie by converting a penalty kick in the 47th minute. Galaxy defender Mike Randolph fouled Brian Mullan in the penalty area by pulling on his jersey.
"Obviously, the goal gives us energy and confidence, and we moved the ball better," Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said. "When we're passing the ball like that and have good mobility, it's hard to try and contain our attacking players."
De Rosario's header off Richard Mulrooney's corner kick enabled Ryan Cochrane to give Houston a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute with a 2-yard shot off the side of his left foot.
Los Angeles (4-13-5) tied it in the 26th minute on Alan Gordon's 10-yard header off Landon Donovan's corner kick.
Houston 's Ricardo Clark ended the scoring in the 73rd minute with a 12-yard shot.
The loss ensured that the Galaxy would finish with their third losing season in five years
The Dynamo are unbeaten in their last five games, while the Galaxy have now lost eight of their last nine league games.
After the match, Houston 's Dwayne De Rosario told reporters: "The old Galaxy team was definitely a little more hungry.
"The team that doesn't work together is basically destruction waiting to happen. They're going to get down on each other and start yelling at each other. Then you start picking them apart.
"That's what we did. We had a lot of chances. If you add the chances that we did miss, it could've been a pretty embarrassing night."
Under pressure Galaxy coach Frank Yallop said: "We can't give away goals like we did.
"We're just absolutely so naive with our fight and our will to do better."
"We just accept that another goal has gone in.
"Guys just don't take responsibility. For me, you have to make sure that you feel that something is your fault, and I think our guys don't.
"They don't take responsibility."
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