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Houston, D.C. Advance To Champions Cup Semis

POSTED: 9:55 am PST March 2, 2007

(Sports Network) - Major League Soccer passed its first test of the 2007 season, with both of its teams advancing to the semifinal series of the CONCACAF Champions Cup against inferior opponents.

D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo used victories Thursday night to ensure their respective spots in the next round against much stiffer competition.

United was the first to advance, beating Honduran side CD Olympia 3-2 at RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington D.C. in the second leg of its series. It wasn't a very stressful contest for the MLS squad as it had already built a 4-1 aggregated lead after the first leg.

D.C. got two goals from Luciano Emilio - his third in two games with his new team - and a penalty shot goal from MLS MVP Christian Gomez.

The Dynamo had a much tougher challenge in their home leg, played in College Station, Texas after falling behind 1-0 in the first leg at Costa Rican squad Puntarenas FC's home site. The reigning MLS Cup champions came through, however, and won the second leg 2-0 to advance 2-1 on aggregate.

Paul Dalglish scored the opener for Houston in the 27th minute and Kelly Gray scored the clincher 16 minutes from time to earn the victory.

Now the MLS squads square off against Mexican teams in their respective semifinal series'. Houston will take on Pachuca CF and United will take on Mexican champion CD Guadalajara.

Houston's first leg match will be at home on Wednesday, March 14 with the away leg taking place on Thursday, April 5. United's first leg match is also at home a day later with the away leg taking place on April 4.

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