but right to Jovan Kirovski, and he nodded home a quick reactive header for his first goal of 2009. But the Quakes withstood withering pressure over the final minutes to hold out for the win.
• Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena made two changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Real Salt Lake at home. Chris Klein and Stefani Miglioranzi came into the midfield as Eddie Lewis was suspended and Josh Tudela went to the substitutes' bench.
• Here's Arena's team (4-4-2) Donovan Ricketts - A.J. DeLaGarza (Bryan Jordan 76), Gregg Berhalter, Omar Gonzalez, Todd Dunivant - Chris Klein (Tristan Bowen 91+), Jovan Kirovski, Stefani Miglioranzi, Kyle Patterson (Alan Gordon 55) - Edson Buddle, Mike Magee. Substitutes Not Used: Leonard Griffin, Kevin Guppy, Tony Sanneh, Josh Tudela
• "We were a little suspect in our defending in the box today, and it cost us the game, " Arena said. "Give San Jose credit. They made a couple plays and we weren't as alert as we needed to be in the early minutes of each half which resulted in goals."
TEAM NEWS
• The Galaxy did not force Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon into a single save on the day. Kirovski's goal was the only one of the seven LA shots on frame.
• "Our team played pretty well," Arena said. "We didn't get enough clean chances, though. (San Jose) did a good job. They dropped off. We had a lot of possession of the ball. I think our crossing of the ball was pretty poor today. Our play in the box wasn't good enough to create more chances."
• For the Galaxy, it was the third consecutive game missed by Landon Donovan, away on national team duty, and Arena had to deal with other major absences as well. Eddie Lewis missed the game due to suspension and Dema Kovalenko was injured in practice the day before the match. With the U.S. success in South Africa, Donovan will not be available for the Dynamo match either.
• "Dema should be back [this] week," Arena said, "but you can't say, 'it would have been nice to have Landon Donovan today.' You can't use that as an excuse."
• While the Galaxy had the 10-game unbeaten run, they won just two of those games. As the halfway point of the season approaches, LA finds itself currently out of the playoff picture.
• "We've left some points out there," Klein said, "but hopefully we can rally around and get the points that we need going into the second half of the season."
• The Galaxy have allowed two goals in each of their last two games, the first time they've allowed multiple goals in back-to-back games since the first two games of the season. But that doesn't mean the Galaxy don't feel goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts isn't having an All-Star type season.
• "He's the best goalkeeper in the league," Galaxy midfielder Dema Kovalenko said. "Some guys may have the numbers and shutouts, but he's the best. I'm not just saying that because he's my teammate, but he's kept us in a lot of games. He definitely deserves to go (to the All-Star Game)."
HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo left it late but finally were able to extend their undefeated streak to 11 games, getting a late goal for a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening at Robertson Stadium. The Dynamo took over sole possession of the Western Conference lead and MLS overall table, one point ahead of Chivas USA and five ahead of Eastern Conference leaders D.C. United.
LAST MATCH
• The Dynamo came in having won five games on the trot and having allowed just three goals in their last 10 games, while Real had put an end to a seven-game winless run the week before with a victory at the LA Galaxy.
• On another hot night in the Bayou City, the visitors took the lead in the 28th minute. Yura Movsisyan moved toward goal before laying off a backheel to Fabian Espindola, and his curling effort toward the far post deflected off Dynamo center back Bobby Boswell and past a wrong-footed Pat Onstad.
• But after the break, the Dynamo began to turn up the pressure. Real went a man down in the 58th minute when Jamison Olave delayed a throw-in from being taken and received a second yellow card from referee Jair Marrufo.
• Then in the 74th minute, RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando came well off his line and fouled Brian Ching at the edge of the area while trying to claim a bouncing ball. But from the resulting penalty, Rimando saved a Brad Davis effort that was struck almost down the center of the goal.
• The Dynamo finally hit for the equalizer in the 89th minute. Ching laid off a pass for Brian Mullan on the right flank and raced into the box. Mullan floated in a high cross and Ching got onto the end of it unmarked, snapping home a header for his fifth goal on the year.
• Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made two changes to the team that defeated FC Dallas 3-1 on the road the previous weekend. Craig Waibel came back into the back four in place of Wade Barrett, while Brad Davis returned to the team in place of Corey Ashe.
• Here's Kinnear's team (4-3-1-2): Pat Onstad - Craig Waibel (Wade Barrett 8 / Corey Ashe 61), Bobby Boswell, Geoff Cameron, Andrew Hainault - Richard Mulrooney - Brian Mullan, Stuart Holden, Brad Davis - Kei Kamara, Cam Weaver (Brian Ching 46). Substitutes Not Used: Ade Akinbiyi, Danny Cruz, Tally Hall, Dominic Oduro
TEAM NEWS
• Ching had missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury but netted for the first time since May 23, when he scored the opener in a 3-1 win against San Jose.
• "It feels good not so much to score, but to help the team and to help the team get a point," said Ching, who entered as a substitute after halftime. "We deserved points tonight, and I thought we were the better team, espeically when they went down a man. We kept our heads in the game and we finished off a good fight and a good comeback."
• With the victory, Dominic Kinnear won the right to coach the MLS All-Stars against Everton FC on July 29 at Rio Tinto Stadium. It is the first All-Star coaching honor for Kinnear.
• "They are a good group of guys, and I think I have a good relationship with the whole group," said Kinnear. "I enjoy their success probably as much as they do. I really enjoy watching them play, I love coaching them and I feel very fortunate to be around these guys and I think I have the best job in the MLS."
• While the Dynamo extended their undefeated streak to 11 games - tying the club record set June 3-July 22, 2007 - they realized it was a night it could have been snapped early.
• "It was definitely an off night," said Brad Davis. "But you have to credit our guys. We scored the tying goal in the 89th minute. This team prides itself on working hard and not quitting until the whistle blows. [Saturday], I think we showed why we are such a good team. You know we are going to keep attacking and giving it our best until the whistle blows."
• The Dynamo's current unbeaten run began with a scoreless draw with the New York Red Bulls, which followed a 1-0 loss at D.C. United. The Orange have not been shut out since.
• "I thought we could have been a little bit sharper on our services, I thought we could have been a little bit sharper on our passes in the final third," Ching said. "We all, myself included, could have made sharper decisions. And when things aren't going right, it is always good to get a point."
• Sunday's match is the first of four consecutive MLS matches away from the Bayou City for the Dynamo. They are unbeaten in eight games at Robertson Stadium, one of four teams still unbeaten at home this season (along with D.C. United, Columbus and Colorado); their five victories and 18 points in home games are best in the league.
