Dynamo jolts Battery

The Houston Dynamo proved one thing beyond a reasonable doubt — the best team in Major League Soccer is better than the top team in the USL First Division.

Geoff Cameron had two goals and John Hayden added two assists as Houston crushed Charleston, 4-0, on Tuesday night in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup before a crowd of 2,473 at Blackbaud Stadium.

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Battery blanked by Dynamo

The Charleston Battery dropped a 4-0 decision to the Houston Dynamo in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night at Blackbaud Stadium.

Houston will take on the winner of the Kansas City-Seattle game in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup on July 21.

The Dynamo came into Tuesday night's game with the best record in MLS, while the Battery is in first place in the USL First Division.

Despite playing with just two full-time starters, the Dynamo put on a clinic against their lower division opponents for most of the game.

"There's a reason why Houston has the best record in MLS right now," said Charleston defender Nelson Akwari. "Houston is a very, very good team. They've got good players, and they're well-coached. There's a reason why they've won a couple of MLS championships in Houston. They are the best team in MLS right now, by far.

"They were much sharper than we were tonight. I thought we got a little too casual during the game at times. We didn't come out of the locker room the way we should have. It was a clinic out there."

This was the third straight year that the Dynamo and Battery have faced each other in the late stages of the U.S. Open Cup. Charleston eliminated the Dynamo from the tournament in 2007 on a Stephen Armstrong penalty kick in overtime and on penalty kicks (4-3) a year ago.

"The final result was a little bit of surprise," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. "I don't think it was a 4-0 game. We just took advantage of the chances we got."

Both teams played over the weekend, but it was the Battery that looked more fatigued after its 1-0 win over Montreal on Sunday. The Battery didn't get back into Charleston until late Monday night.

"It's a very disappointing loss," Charleston coach Mike Anhaeuser said. "We played well for about 20 minutes at the end of the first half, but we got down early, and with our heavy legs, we didn't have enough in us to come back and make a go of it."

It was the first loss at Blackbaud Stadium for the Battery this season, which entered the game with a 6-0-3 mark at home.

"We've been having good results all season at home, but eventually you knew it was going to end," Anhaeuser said. "Hopefully, we can start another winning streak against Carolina (RailHawks) on Saturday."

The Dynamo took a 1-0 lead on Cameron's header off a corner kick in the 16th minute.

The play actually started a minute earlier when Charleston midfielder Scott Buete took down Houston midfielder Danny Cruz, who was making a strong run down the right flank, just outside of the 18-yard box. After the Dynamo's free kick went off a defender, Houston lined up for a set piece from about 25 yards out.

Hayden served the ball into the 6-yard box and Cameron got just enough of his head on it to send it on net. At first the ball appeared to be headed over the crossbar, but it fell short in the heavy rain and a Battery defender knocked it in for the score.

Charleston nearly tied the game in the 37th minute when Randi Patterson slotted a pass to Chris Williams between two Houston defenders just outside the 18-yard box. Williams took a strong dribble and was getting ready to take a shot, but Houston keeper Tally Hall came off his line and tackled Williams to end the threat.

Houston extended its advantage to 2-0 on Bobby Boswell's volley off a set piece in the 47th minute.

After a foul by Charleston defender Matt Bobo on Houston's Ade Akinbiyi just outside the 18-yard box, Hayden served a beautiful ball to the back post that Boswell easily volleyed into the open net for the score.

Houston made it a 3-0 game on Dominic Oduro's blast in the 52nd minute.

After a turnover, Oduro picked up the loose ball about 35 yards out, sprinted past a Charleston defender, then cut back behind Akwari just inside the 18-yard box and beat Battery keeper Dusty Hudock to the far post for the goal.

Houston added the final goal of the game off Cameron's second header of the match in the 73rd minute. Brian Mullen picked up a loose ball 35 yards out on the left flank, took a couple of dribbles and served a ball to the back post that Cameron flicked past Hudock for the score.

Note

--Midfielder Ian Fuller (groin) was unavailable due to injury.