This post will be updated throughout the evening -- press reload for periodic updates.
My apologies for not being able to liveblog the Dynamo-Pachuca match. I had a 3.5 hour drive through driving rain and just arrived at my hotel five minutes ago. As you might expect, my hotel does not get Fox Soccer Channel, so I'm going to have to rely on radio and text commentary.
But what a surprise to open the MLSnet.com website and see Houston Dynamo 2-0 Pachuca!! If Dynamo can hold on to the two-goal lead, this will be a fantastic result. They're in the final minute of stoppage time right now.
From reading the substitutions and yellow cards, it seems that Landín was not very effective up front for Pachuca, and Kinnear made some very smart substitutions in the second half. Very physical match, too.
And it's all over now - Houston have defeated the Copa Sudamerica champions 2-0!! Now they will need to survive a Tuzo onslaught in Mexico in order to advance to the final, but their chances look much better than I would have expected.
DC United-Chivas should start within the half hour right now!
- I'm listening to the match on DCU's radio network. I joined the match in progress, and it's goalless.
- 4': Sounds like a very intense atmosphere at RFK - both Chivas and United fans can be heard.
- DCU's playing a 3-5-2?
- 9': Moreno just made a hard challenge on Diego Martínez. Nervous moments for him - a yellow card suspends him for the return leg in Mexico. Fortunately for him, he escapes with a warning.
- An aggressive run by Gros into the penalty area fizzles out without a scoring opportunity. Chivas counters, but is broken up by DCU in midfield.
- It feels like an intense match. Both teams pressuring all over the field.
- I should also say that it's raining with temps in the 40s (8-9 C). I think it makes a slight advantage to DCU but both teams might struggle under the conditions.
- Gros is becoming more of a protagonist in the opening 15 minutes. 17': Boswell just shirt-tugged a Chivas player near the center of the field and earns a yellow card.
- Yellow card situation: Moreno, Olsen, Namoff, and now Boswell.
- 20': The crowd is roaring more for a good play by a Chivas player. Some "Chivas! Chivas!" chanting can be heard.
- 21': A yellow card to Christián Gómez, for delaying a restart.
- 23': A yellow card to Santana. Chivas has four other players playing on a yellow card - Reynoso, Bravo, Pineda, and Medina.
- 25': A quick buildup sends Bautista through, who shoots toward the upper corner. Perkins makes a fantastic save over the bar. Corner yields another dangerous chance that's blocked away by Namoff. Another poor clearance is blocked away by Namoff. DCU living dangerously right now...
- It doesn't appear that DCU is playing their game - not enough possession it seems. And as I say that, Emilio and Simms combine and advance toward the box, swing out to Gómez, but his cross is blocked away and the opportunity dies out.
- 28': Olsen brought down by Martínez, and Martínez receives a yellow card.
- It appears to me that the best players on offense and defense for DCU have been Gros and Namoff, respectively.
- 36': DCU has had more possession of late, but the penultimate passes aren't coming through. And if you can't connect those, you don't get to make final passes.
- I know I'm saying the obvious, but this result is very favorable to Chivas.
- 42': A great combination between Gros and Emilio gives the Brazilian a small opening, but his shot is low, weak and easily gobbled up by Michel. It was a difficult chance, but oh how United needed that one.
- 44': Another giveway by Magallon gives Emilio an opportunity, but his pass back to Moreno is behind him. Another opportunity wasted. Chivas counters right back, but Namoff is there away to sweep the ball away.
- 45'+: One minute of stoppage time comes and goes. Chivas gets a brief fright, but Gómez can't handle the high bouncing ball, and the chance dies.
- Halftime: DC United 0-0 Guadalajara. Chivas have had more of the ball and more of the scoring opportunities, the best one being Bautista's drive that was parried away by Perkins. The chances have appeared for DC United, but they need to do a better job with the final passes inside the penalty area. The tie is swinging toward Chivas at the half.
- 46': The second half begins. DCU kicks off, and quickly gives the ball away. Sigh... Bravo enters the box (an Erpen giveaway), but Namoff is there again to clear the ball away.
- More of the same so far - Chivas dominating possession and chances, Namoff blocking balls away (although he did make one bad play a minute ago). But Moreno makes a shot on goal, but Michel is there to make the save.
- Erpen is really becoming a liability in DCU's defense. Yeah I knew that already, but it's coming in loud and clear through internet radio.
- DCU is really on the back foot right now, the only thing lacking here is a Chivas goal...
- 63': Goal to Chivas. The radio commentator said that Bravo scored, but it could have been a Namoff own goal. (Okay, it was credited to Bravo.) It had been coming the entire match. DCU has a really uphill climb.
- I had to take a phone call, so updates are going to be sporadic. Back now.
- That scouting report from DCenters is proving prescient - Chivas is packing the penalty area with every United advance and forcing them to shoot from long range. This has been an excellent performance from the Apertura champions; they have suffocated United's possession game.
- 80': Bravo gets a yellow card for a late challenge on Namoff, and he will miss the return leg in Mexico. Unless DCU score in the final ten minutes, it's not going to matter much.
- Five minutes to go, and DCU really needs to finish their chances. Olsen did everything right according to the radio commentator, but his finish was awful. DCU will throw players forward, but watch your back...
- 87': Araujo in for Bravo. Big applause from the Chivas contingent.
- 89': And a penalty for DC United?! The radio comm is going crazy...according to him, the foul occurred in the box, but the refs are moving the ball outside the area. So it's a free kick to United.
- 90': Goal! And Emilio scores !!!!!!! A free kick from Gómez, and Emilio heads it in!! It's now 1-1, more than DCU deserve, but I'll take it. Four minutes of stoppage time.
- 90+1': Chivas kick off, Morales takes a thunderous shot, but shoots it wide.
- 90+3': Three minutes gone, one to go...action has died down a little, but DCU have a corner now. Probably the last kick of the game.
- 90+4': Corner is deflected away, and then DCU is whistled for offside.
- And there's the final whistle. The match ends 1-1, with some pushing and shoving between Michel, a few Chivas reserves, and Olsen. A very intense match, just what you'd expect from a continental club competition. Close to 26,500 at RFK. The comm said that this was a great result for United - well, it's better than 0-1, but not what was required in the end. It changes the task on 5 April from "impossible" to "very difficult."
