On Sunday morning, the Houston Dynamo reserves clinched the MLS Reserve Division title in Carson, Calif. In San Salvador Tuesday night, they were three minutes from becoming the first Major League Soccer team to win on the road in the CONCACAF Champions League.
But Luis Angel Firpo rallied for a 1-1 draw on a goal by Fernando Leguizamon after Stuart Holden, who wore the captain's armband, put Dynamo in front on 16 minutes.
Dynamo had the chance to move into sole possession of second place in Group B, one point behind Mexican side Pumas UNAM, which has already booked its passage into the knockout stages. Instead, Houston, which remains unbeaten in three road matches in the inaugural competition, is still in third place with six points, two points behind Luis Angel Firpo.
The final match of the group stage is Nov. 26, three days after MLS Cup, when Dynamo plays host to Luis Angel Firpo at Robertson Stadium. Houston needs a win to advance.
With the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal Series set for Saturday at Giants Stadium, Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear decided to reward his reserves, which defeated Chivas USA 3-0 to win the reserve championship, with a game against a Luis Angel Firpo squad that was unbeaten in three consecutive games and entered the game in second place in Group B with seven points from four matches.
Many of the team's starters, as well as Kinnear, remained in Houston while assistant coach John Spencer went with a starting XI that, with the exception of Holden, started against Chivas USA.
That team took the game to the hosts from the opening kickoff and deservedly led when Holden got on the end of a Geoff Cameron throw-in and, after Luis Angel Firpo defender Carlos Calderon whiffed on a clearing chance, tucked the ball to the left of goalkeeper Henry Hernandez in the 16th minute.
Ten minutes later, Cameron played a give-and-go from Holden and had an open shot from just inside the 18-yard box, but his attempt bounced wide of the target. Both players were also booked two minutes apart late in the first half.
Dynamo had two golden chances to put the game away early in the second half, but Kei Kamara put an open header well over the crossbar in the 53rd minute and Holden's driven free kick from 24 yards out was inches wide of the target eight minutes later.
In the 69th minute, Emerson Velez chipped the ball into the middle of the 18-yard box, but Patricio Gomez's bicycle kick from the penalty spot was wide to the left of Houston goalkeeper Tony Caig.
With the hosts dominating possession and getting the better of the scoring chances, the Dynamo nearly snuck in the insurance marker in the 72nd minute, but Hernandez did well to push Corey Ashe's attempt over the crossbar and out for a corner kick.
Three minutes later another combination between Holden and Cameron nearly resulted in a goal, but Manuel Salazar cleared Cameron's chip off the line and Kamara was unable to get to the loose ball before Hernandez gobbled it up.
Finally, in the 87th minute, Firpo netted the equalizer when substitute Ramon Avila beat Caig to a cross from Carlos Monteagudo and Leguizamon picked up the scraps in front of the goal, putting the ball through the legs of Mike Chabala, who was on the line.
Luis Angel Firpo nearly took all three points, which would have eliminated Dynamo from advancement, when Holden was whistled for a handball deep into second-half stoppage time. But Dennis Alas' free kick from 28 yards out deflected off the wall on the game's final kick.
