updated 9:33 p.m. ET Oct. 23, 2011
HOUSTON - Adam Moffat scored from 38 yards in the first half, and the Houston Dynamo beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 on Sunday night to secure a spot in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinals.
Bobby Boswell and Carlo Costly scored second-half goals for the Dynamo, who strolled to victory against a Galaxy team that rested stars David Beckham and Landon Donovan before the playoffs.
Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear earned his 100th MLS victory.
Houston needed to win its season finale to avoid playing in a wild-card round. The Dynamo finished second in the East and will face the Philadelphia Union in the home-and-home conference semifinals beginning Oct. 30 in Philadelphia. Houston will host the Union on Nov. 3.
Assured of home-field advantage through the first two rounds by virtue of winning the Western Conference with the MLS' best record, the Galaxy rested starters including Beckham, Donovan and Irish forward Robbie Keane.
The Galaxy's first playoff opponent will be determined after the wild-card round.
Second-half substitute Carlo Costly gave Houston a 3-0 lead with a powerful 5-yard header off a cross by Brad Davis in the 74th minute for the Honduran's first MLS goal. The assist gave Davis a career-high 16, tops in the league.
Forward Brian Ching nearly gave Houston the lead five minutes in but was denied at point-blank range by goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.
Moffat scored in the 27th minute, recovering a loose ball in midfield and firing a stunner from distance to beat Ricketts for a 1-0 Dynamo lead.
Boswell doubled it in the 48th minute, getting a deflection by Moffat off Davis' free kick and firing a shot from 15 yards.
The Galaxy cut the deficit to 3-1 with one minute remaining when 16-year-old Jack McBean scored from the center of the box off an assist by Chad Barrett. It was McBean's first career goal in his MLS debut.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45009845/ns/sports-soccer/
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