DYNAMO KICKS CHIVAS USA OUT HOUSTON ADVANCES IN WEST ON CHING'S GOAL HOUSTON 2, CHIVAS USA 0.

Byline: MATT ZIMMERMAN Staff Writer

HOUSTON -- Weather the storm.

Playing a man down, the home-and-home, total-goals Major League Soccer first-round playoff series tied, Chivas USA was just trying to weather the storm. With no substitutions made and the quality depth sapped by a key injury, nine field players and goalie Brad Guzan played gallantly, holding off the Houston Dynamo.

But 30 seconds before the end of the game, Brian Ching rose up for a header and the goal that gave Houston a 2-0 win Sunday and a 3-2 aggregate victory, ending Chivas USA's season.

``We're all very disappointed,`` Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley said. ``A couple plays turned the game in the second half, and it's very difficult to give up the second goal right at the end.''

Just before the final whistle, Davis dribbled near the sideline, and Garcia fouled him, igniting the clearing of both benches. As Garcia walked away from the initial foul, Houston's Kelly Gray -- who had not played a minute of either of the playoff games -- shoved Garcia in the back, and the melee began in earnest.

Players and coaches from both sides got involved in the scrum, most attempting to break it up.

``Anytime you face a team six times during the year and the games are pretty even and hotly contested, sometimes frustration boils over,`` Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. ``We had it there in L.A., where a few players and coaches -- including myself -- lost their way. You can understand it, because they're frustrated.''

Chivas USA led the home-and-home, total-goals series by a goal after last week's 2-1 win at Home Depot Center and still held that lead at halftime Sunday with the score 0-0. But the team's demise began in the 57th minute with a yellow card to forward and team captain Juan Francisco Palencia for a hard foul on Houston defender Adrian Serioux near midfield.

As players from both teams argued about the play, Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark showed his disdain for Palencia's words with a raise of his right arm, hitting Palencia in the face with the back of his right hand.

Palencia responded with a one-handed shove to Clark's head, the antics drawing yellow cards for both players and an ejection for Palencia with his second yellow.

``I don't know what to say, I'm just frustrated right now,'' Palencia said. ``I left my team with 10 players ... And I apologize for that.''

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Photo:

Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein, far left, and Sacha Kljestan, shirt over head, react as Houston's Brian Ching celebrates with the crowd after scoring on a header in injury time to help the Dynamo advance to the Western Conference finals.

Bob Levey/Associated Press