Justin Braun of Chivas USA scored early and late, and the Goats defeated the Houston Dynamo 3-1 to reach their Open Cup Semifinals. The win was also their first at Houston’s Robertson Stadium.
However, the Dynamo were left in the dust in the second half as well. Ante Jazic split the Houson defense to give Michael Lahoud an easy finish at 65′ to double the Chivas lead. Houston finally managed to strike late, as Joseph Ngwenya rocketed a shot that got a piece of Dominc Oduro and between the posts. Braun ended any hope the Dynamo had of equalizing four minutes later, splitting through defenders and into the net.
Chivas USA will await the winner of the Los Angeles Galaxy/Seattle Sounders FC match on July 7.
Scoring Summary:
CHV — Justin Braun (Mariano Trujillo) 5
CHV — Michael Lahoud (Ante Jazic) 65
HOU — Dominic Oduro (Joseph Ngwenya) 86
CHV — Justin Braun (unassisted) 90
Misconduct Summary:
HOU — Eddie Robinson (caution; Reckless Tackle) 54
CHV — Jesus Padilla (caution; Reckless Foul) 68
HOU — Craig Waibel (caution; Reckless Foul) 93+
HOU — Danny Cruz (caution; Dissent) 93+
CHV — Gerson Mayen (caution; Reckless Foul) 93+
Lineups:
Chivas USA — Zach Thornton, Mariano Trujillo, Michael Umana, Yamith Cuesta, Ante Jazic (Carlos Borja 66), Michael Lahoud, Marcelo Saragosa, Ben Zemanski, Blair Gavin (Dario Delgado 72), Jesus Padilla (Gerson Mayen 77), Justin Braun.
Houston Dynamo — Tally Hall, Craig Waibel, Eddie Robinson, Ryan Cochrane (Mike Chabala 35), Francisco Navas Cobo, Adrian Serioux, Richard Mulrooney (Lovel Palmer 74), Joseph Ngwenya, Sammy Appiah (Danny Cruz 56), Dominic Oduro, Cam Weaver.
Referee: Daniel Fitzgerald
Referee’s Assistants: Courtney Jackson; Arthur Odems
4th official: Ismail Elfath
Attendance: 1,097
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 87 degrees