Alberth Elis scores two late goals as the Dynamo rally to tie the LA Galaxy.
Alberth Elis provided the offense in the final moments that assured the Dynamo left with something, but without early defensive miscues, his two late goals would have been enough for the Dynamo to leave with everything.
Elis scored twice in the final 10 minutes Wednesday night to rally the Dynamo for a 3-3 draw against the LA Galaxy at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The game was headed for disaster until Elis’ heroics because the Dynamo (10-10-10) had conceded two goals in the first 12 minutes and one in the first two minutes of the second half just when they had grabbed the momentum. They trailed 2-1 at halftime and conceded a third goal less than two minutes into the second half. Cabrera disappointed
“When you score three goals at home, you have to win,” coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “You cannot give up three goals. If I’m honest, we have to do better defensively. Today we gave up too much. Defensively, we’re not at the level we’re supposed to play.”
The result extended the Dynamo’s winless streak to six games and leaves them below the playoff line with four regular-season games remaining. Three of those matches are at home, beginning Saturday vs. Minnesota United FC.
Home games often have provided fireworks this season, and that’s what the home fans got in the final minutes Wednesday. Elis’ first goal came on a penalty kick in the 84th minute after he was fouled in the penalty area. He leveled the match in the 89th minute with a header on Vicente Sanchez’s corner kick.
The game continued in the Dynamo’s favor through six minutes of added time, but they never found a winner.
Despite conceding two goals in the first 12 minutes, the Dynamo had reached halftime with momentum thanks to Tomas Martinez’s first MLS goal in the 26th minute and a handful of dangerous chances in the final 20 minutes of the first half.
The early disaster began in the third minute. Galaxy midfielder Romain Alessandrini hit a crossing pass into the 6-yard box that bounced under Dynamo defender Adolfo Machado’s swinging leg. Galaxy strike early
The ball skipped to Dynamo defender DaMarcus Beasley, who chested it into the net for an owngoal.
The Galaxy (7-17-7) doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Alessandrini scored on a counterattack that was created by Ashley Cole’s run to steal possession from Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark.
The Dynamo created a handful of great chances after that and pulled one back in the 26th minute.
Right back A.J. DeLaGarza centered a pass to Martinez to the right of the penalty spot. Martinez delicately created space from two nearby defenders and set himself up for a left-footed shot to the far corner. corey.roepken@chron.com twitter.com/ripsports