HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo were the aggressors on a hot Saturday night, hitting the back of the net three times in a 3-0 win over the LA Galaxy.
Will Bruin continued his hot streak, opening the scoring in the 9th minute. Brad Davis pushed up the left flank and sent a hopeful low ball across the box. LA center back Leonardo was out of position, opening a channel for Bruin to take a touch, change his feet, and curl a finish around goalkeeper Brian Rowe for his ninth goal of the season, which leads the club.
Davis doubled the lead in the 27th minute, scoring his first goal in 18 MLS games this season. Nathan Sturgis set up the tally weaving through the LA defense and putting a chance on a platter for Davis. All alone in the center of the pitch and 22 yards from goal, Davis cut his trademark left peg loose, beating Rowe low to the far post for the 2-0 lead.
With time winding down, Leonel Miranda played keep-away in the box before chipping Rowe from 16 yards out. Miranda cut back in the 88th minute at the edge of the box and lofted a shot into the top corner to clinch the shutout win.
With the win, Houston (7-8-6) improves to 27 points while LA (9-7-7) stays on 34 points.
While Houston had the goals, LA held the possession early; but the visitors struggled to convert it into chances. Robbie Keane had the reigning champs' best look of the first half, spinning to take a shot, but he was surrounded and eventually engulfed by goalkeeper Tyler Deric who made the save.
Houston got another scare in the 39th minute when winger Bradford Jamison IV split AJ Cochran and Alex on the right to break into the box. His shot ricocheted off two Dynamo defenders before looping towards, but ultimately wide, of goal.
Even with the addition of new Designated Player Steven Gerrard, LA struggled to threaten or punish Houston early. LA outpassed Houston on the night by a wide margin, but the home team was the one threatening goal, taking the edge in shots 13-7.
While LA continued to outwork Houston in the possession game, Alex took a crack at killing off the game in the 52nd minute, collecting a loose Rowe distribution and firing it low from 25 yards out. His shot went wide and the lead remained at 2-0.
Two minutes later, Davis went wide with his bid for a brace. The Dynamo captain attempted to double his count again in the 79th minute, but Rowe was up to the challenge with a diving stop.
Erick “Cubo” Torres made his MLS debut for the Dynamo, coming on for Bruin in the 69th minute and he came a Rowe foot save away from scoring in the 82nd minute. They were the first 21 minutes of his Dynamo career after signing with the club in December and being loaned back to Chivas Guadalajara for the Clausura portion of the Liga MX season.
LA became the first team to bring in a player on loan from their USL club, slotting in left back Dave Romney and forward Ari Lassiter into the team. Lassiter, son of MLS great Roy Lassiter, came on in the second half and forced a leaping save out of Deric in the 85th minute.
Houston travels to face rivals Sporting Kansas City next week, while LA hits the road to face the Colorado Rapids.
