Published 3/16/2007 9:06:21 PM by Staff from SoccerAmerica

DC United will leave for Guadalajara next week deadlocked with Chivas Guadalajara, 1-1, following their first leg at RFK Stadium, giving it 11 days of exposure to a rather modest 5,000-foot elevation.

Luciano Emilio scored his fourth goal of the competition with a header from a free kick a minute into stoppage time to match an Omar Bravo header in the 63rd minute.

Houston beat Pachuca, 2-0, at Robertson Stadium and has three games in the Carolina Challenge Cup the last week of March to sharpen its skills for the second leg, to be played at a taxing 7,960 feet above sea level. Brian Ching and Chris Wondolowski scored to provide just enough of an advantage to fuel Houston hopes.

''That's our reward, to play at the highest elevation in Mexico,'' Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear had said prior to his team shaking off a lethargic first half and posting a deserved victory. ''But if we give ourselves a chance by winning at home, we'll go down there feeling good even at that high altitude.''

Pachuca and CD Guadalajara came into the first legs tied atop the overall Mexican standings with identical 5-1-3 (W-L-T) records. They encountered very different environments yet in both games the first halves were goalless.

As chanting red-and-white Guadalajara were serenading the Barra Brava, and with teams laboring on a field softening under a heavy rain, United conjured up a couple of half-chances but couldn't dictate the tempo and break down their opponents.

Tame shots from Josh Gros and Emilio were easily grabbed by keeper Luis Michel. At the other end, under the prompting of Ramon Morales, a Bravo blast forced a good save from Troy Perkins.

Robertson was swathed in the orange of Dynamo fans, yet Pachuca controlled play and should have left the field with a lead at halftime instead of 0-0. The Dynamo defense was picked apart several times, but Christian Giminez - who had scored for Pachuca over the weekend in a 1-0 away win - couldn't beat Zach Wells and Louis Landin failed to get a shot off from close-range.

Guadalajara stepped up the pace after halftime and after Jaime Moreno nearly gave United the lead, a Sergio Santana's cross was headed by Bravo, and the ball glanced off Bryan Namoff past Perkins. Moreno threatened again but D.C.'s attacks weakened as Guadalajara pushed the ball about and probed for a second goal.

Olsen pulled a shot wide with two teammates pleading for a pass.
But it was Olsen's scrappy, determined dribble that earned the free kick on the right flank from which United scored. Christian Gomez flighted the ball to Emilio, whose point-blank header gives D.C. a whisper of a chance in Mexico.

Just as wide-open was Ching when he gave the Dynamo a lead in the 57th minute. Houston's spirited start unsettled Pachuca, and so did the curling crosses of midfielder Brad Davis. A poor clearance of a Davis free kick went to right back Craig Waibel, whose first-time chip caught Pachuca's defenders scrambling in confusion. They appealed for offside and handball, but his standing header from seven yards out counted.

Waibel saved the day at the other end a few minutes later, heading away an Andres Chitiva chip from underneath the crossbar after Wells had come out of the penalty area and headed a clearance right to him.

A pair of subs brought Houston a precious second goal in the 84th minute. Davis ran onto Dwayne De Rosario's clever flick and this time, he pulled the ball back low into the goalmouth, where another case of atrocious marking allowed Wondolowski to push the ball past Colombian keeper Miguel Calero.

Many years ago, Kinnear played for the semi-pro San Francisco Greek-Americans in the CONCACAF competition. Coached by Lothar Osiander, former U.S. Olympic and national team coach, they tied UNAM Pumas at home, 2-2, in the first leg, only to be blasted, 5-1, in Mexico City.

''And we scored the first goal down there, as I recall,'' said Kinnear. ''Then they really took it to us, but that was a good team. When you have to play in Mexico, even if you win the first game, it's really not half the battle. You still have a lot more to do.''

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