Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell can’t reach a ball kicked for a goal by LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig, right, celebrates his goal with midfielder Gastón Brugman, center, as Houston Dynamo defender Micael walks away during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, top, kicks the ball while under pressure from Houston Dynamo midfielder Amine Bassi during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell, left, tries to stop LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, top, is tripped by Houston Dynamo defender Franco Escobar during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo defender Brad Smith, heads the ball while pressured by LA Galaxy midfielder Daniel Aguirre during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla, left, heads the ball while LA Galaxy defender Julián Aude watches during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy defender Martín Cáceres, left, kicks while under pressure from Houston Dynamo midfielder Amine Bassi during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy defender Julián Aude, left, and Houston Dynamo defender Erik Sviatchenko, upper right try to head the ball during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, right, battles with Houston Dynamo midfielder Griffin Dorsey during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing celebrates his goal during the first half of a Major League Soccer match against the LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing, right, tries to scores as LA Galaxy midfielder Gastón Brugman, center, defends and goalkeeper John McCarthy stands in goal during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing, right, heads the ball as LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig defends during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell can’t reach a ball kicked for a goal by LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell can’t reach a ball kicked for a goal by LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig, right, celebrates his goal with midfielder Gastón Brugman, center, as Houston Dynamo defender Micael walks away during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig, right, celebrates his goal with midfielder Gastón Brugman, center, as Houston Dynamo defender Micael walks away during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, top, kicks the ball while under pressure from Houston Dynamo midfielder Amine Bassi during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, top, kicks the ball while under pressure from Houston Dynamo midfielder Amine Bassi during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell, left, tries to stop LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell, left, tries to stop LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, top, is tripped by Houston Dynamo defender Franco Escobar during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, top, is tripped by Houston Dynamo defender Franco Escobar during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo defender Brad Smith, heads the ball while pressured by LA Galaxy midfielder Daniel Aguirre during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo defender Brad Smith, heads the ball while pressured by LA Galaxy midfielder Daniel Aguirre during the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla, left, heads the ball while LA Galaxy defender Julián Aude watches during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla, left, heads the ball while LA Galaxy defender Julián Aude watches during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy defender Martín Cáceres, left, kicks while under pressure from Houston Dynamo midfielder Amine Bassi during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy defender Martín Cáceres, left, kicks while under pressure from Houston Dynamo midfielder Amine Bassi during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy defender Julián Aude, left, and Houston Dynamo defender Erik Sviatchenko, upper right try to head the ball during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy defender Julián Aude, left, and Houston Dynamo defender Erik Sviatchenko, upper right try to head the ball during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, right, battles with Houston Dynamo midfielder Griffin Dorsey during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec, right, battles with Houston Dynamo midfielder Griffin Dorsey during the second half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing celebrates his goal during the first half of a Major League Soccer match against the LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing celebrates his goal during the first half of a Major League Soccer match against the LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing, right, tries to scores as LA Galaxy midfielder Gastón Brugman, center, defends and goalkeeper John McCarthy stands in goal during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing, right, tries to scores as LA Galaxy midfielder Gastón Brugman, center, defends and goalkeeper John McCarthy stands in goal during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing, right, heads the ball as LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig defends during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Dynamo forward Latif Blessing, right, heads the ball as LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig defends during the first half of a Major League Soccer match Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Carson, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Riqui Puig scored the go-ahead goal in the 59th minute, Gabriel Pec added a goal and an assist and the LA Galaxy beat the Houston Dynamo 2-1 Saturday night.
Puig scored to give LA a 2-1 lead in the 59th minute. Pec tapped a cross to Puig at the top of the area for the put away from 15 yards out.
LA (6-2-7) is unbeaten in five straight games.
Goalkeeper John McCarthy tried to play a clearance but Latif Blessing stole it and rolled the ball into a wide-open net to give Houston a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
Pec, a 23-year-old rookie, scored his fourth goal of the season to make it 1-1 just before halftime. Miki Yamane, on the right side, cut back to evade a defender and then, at the edge of the box, chipped an entry to the center of the area where Pec flicked a header inside the back post in the 44th minute.
Andrew Tarbell had four saves for the Dynamo.
McCarthy stopped three shots for the Galaxy.
Houston (5-6-3) has scored multiple goals in just three games this season, all of which were 2-1 victories. The Dynamo’s 13 goals this season are second fewest in MLS, behind the New England Revolution (nine).
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
