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Late goal from Curtin nets Chivas USA draw with Dynamo

Oct 26, 2008 - 5:55 AM CARSON, California (Ticker) -- Jim Curtin scored in the 90th minute to help Chivas USA earn a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

Chivas (12-11-7) has already clinched the No. 2 seed and travels to Utah on November 1 to face No. 3 seed Real Salt Lake. Chivas will host the decisive second game on November 8.

Dwayne De Rosario scored on a penalty kick for Houston (13-5-12), which won the West for the first time in franchise history.

Chivas played a man down for the final 40 minutes after goalkeeper Dan Kennedy was given a red card. Kennedy left the box and tackled Nate Jaqua, who had a free run at the goal.

An incensed Kennedy had to be restrained by teammates, and was then replaced by Zach Thornton. De Rosario took the penalty kick and drilled it into the left corner past Thornton, who guessed right on the kick.

"The penalty was from a ball that we turned over and it dropped behind are back four," Chivas coach Preki said.

"The referee decides to make a call, I thought he spoiled the game one heck of a good game. Of course from that point, it was always going to be difficult for us, but the guys didn't give up and we got rewarded at the end even in a game that really doesn't mean a lot. They stuck in there and didn't give up."

As a result of the red card, Kennedy will have to sit out the match against Real Salt Lake.

"I did not want to see the player get sent off," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. "I felt that he was trying to play the ball, they said he was the last player I thought it was a penalty, but not a red card. I thought we were good tonight, but we couldn't get that second goal."

Chivas netted the equalizer in the 90th minute when Curtin kicked in a deflection on the right side. A Dynamo defender was playing inside the goal, and stopped a shot, but could not clear it. Curtin then cleaned up for his first goal since 2006.

"It was a tough game. It was tough being down a man, but it was a good effort from the team," Curtin said. "We stuck together and worked hard and got the goal at the end. I was lucky enough to get something on the ball and push it in."