Houston’s Memo Rodriguez scores game winning goal against Galaxy

Maybe every game should be a blackout at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Houston Dynamo got a big win on Saturday night against the LA Galaxy on a night when the team was looking to blackout their opponent. Ahead of the game Dynamo planned to make it a blackout in Houston with fans and players in black as a reference to the 2009 Western Conference Final game in LA where the power went off several times during the game. While the 2009 didn’t end well for their Dynamo, their home blackout did as they won the game 3-2 thanks in large part to the game winning goal from Memo Rodriguez.

Alejandro Fuenmayor started the game off with a bang scoring in the second minute of the game to put Houston up early. Tomas Martinez won a free kick which was taken by Romell Quioto. The kick from Quioto went deep to Fuenmayor who tapped it in and past David Bingham in goal. The goal was initially ruled offside, but after a (long) video review the goal stood to make it 1-0.

The Dynamo were awarded another free kick in the 35th minute. Quioto once again took the kick, but this time his shot went just over the crossbar.

Three minutes later the Galaxy were able to break after the Dynamo turned the ball over around midfield. Ola Kamara passed the ball to Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the play. The forward took a shot but Joe Willis was able to parry the shot away. However, the ball fell to Gio dos Santos who was able to finish his shot and level the game 1-1.

The second half started almost exactly like the first. Alberth Elis won a free kick just one minute into the second half as once again Quioto took the free kick. The ball went past a number of white jerseys on its way to the net but no one made an effort to make a defensive stop. The ball took a deflection off Sebastian Lletget and made its way to goal with little resistance to give the Dynamo a 2-1 lead.

With just five minutes left in the game it looked like the Dynamo were on their way to three points until a turnover from Darwin Ceren led to a goal from the Galaxy. Ibrahimovic sent a long ball down the side of the field allowing Dos Santos space to work with the ball. Dos Santos crossed the ball into the box to Ola Kamara who got a backheel on the ball as he went down. The touch popped the ball up and past Willis tying the game at 2-2.

Right after the LA goal Memo Rodriguez was substituted into the game by the Dynamo, minutes later he would become the hero of the game for his team. Boniek Garcia crossed the ball into the box but none of the Dynamo players in the area were able to get to it as went off a Galaxy player and off the cross bar. As it went off the bar Rodriguez ran forward to head it back to goal right between another Galaxy player and Bingham. The goal gave the Dynamo a 3-2 win over their rival.

The Dynamo looked like the stronger side for much of the game but would start to falter any time they began to dominate possession. By the end of the game though the Galaxy walked away with 54.9% possession. The Dynamo were able to create a number of chances this game was well with 16 shots and 9 shots on target.

The win helps the Dynamo move up to seventh place in the Western Conference standings with 11 points so far this season. The Dynamo go back on the road for their next game as they head to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps on Friday night.

Lineups

84’ Michael Ciani off, Chris Pontinus on

84’ Eric Alexander off, Memo Rodriguez on