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What scoring drought? LA earned their first road victory of the 2016 MLS season in stunning fashion as the Galaxy destroyed the Dynamo Friday night at BBVA Stadium in downtown Houston, thanks in big part to a Giovani dos Santos brace.
#LAGalaxy XI: Rowe; DLG, Steres, Van Damme, Cole; Gerrard, Husidic; Lletget, Dos Santos, Magee; Zardes #HOUvLA pic.twitter.com/5KhbBW6zDR
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) April 15, 2016
The match started off terribly for the Galaxy when LA were woefully unprepared for a textbook short corner kick, resulting in center back David Horst easily placing a wide open header into a gaping net.
However, the lead lasted all of three minutes before Giovani dos Santos took advantage of some sloppy defensive work from Houston, pouncing onto a loose ball and driving a finish over the flailing Joe Willis and into the net.
Goalovani dos Santos. https://t.co/rYSQoZ9AaP #HOUvLA pic.twitter.com/H3J2N1WezC
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) April 15, 2016
Though the attack wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing, the Galaxy were creating chances, and in the 21st minute LA went ahead when a teasing dos Santos cross was weakly slapped away by Willis, giving Husidic time to collect and slot a shot past a slew of Dynamo defenders to double the Galaxy's advantage.
LA was rolling at this point, and yet few could have forseen the third Galaxy goal: Steven Gerrard sprayed an inch-perfect cross to dos Santos at the left corner of the box, and with a simple trap dos Santos beat his marker before confidently slamming a low hard shot past Willis once again.
BEAUTIFUL, THIS. https://t.co/rYSQoZ9AaP #HOUvLA pic.twitter.com/oh5ReCtvub
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) April 15, 2016
The Galaxy had two major opportunities to further pad the scoreline before the half, but Sebastian Lletget and Mike Magee were unable to find the net from close range.
You would have expected the Dynamo to come out in the second half fighting to get back in the match, but improbably it was LA scoring minutes into the second half. Lletget got behind DaMarcus Beasley and squared a simple cross for Gyasi Zardes to power home.
Although Houston would fight on, and substitute Cubo Torres managed to hit the post in the 65th minute, the Dynamo never seriously threatened to come back.
LA head home next week to face Real Salt Lake.