- (Sports Network) - Dane Richards, who was a Major League Soccer rookie of the year finalist last season, had a forgettable, injury filled regular season. But in the biggest game of the New York Red Bulls' season, he came through in a big way. The speedy winger had a goal and an assist as well as drawing a penalty kick in the Red Bulls' 3-0 upset win of the two-time defending MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo. With the win, the Red Bulls take the Western Conference Semifinal Series, upsetting the top-seeded Dynamo, 4-1, in the home-and-home, total goals series after the teams battled to a 1-1 draw at Giants Stadium last week.

Richards gave the Red Bulls the lead in the 25th minute after he took a through-ball from Sinisa Ubiparipovic, split the defense and fired a shot past Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad.

Less than 10 minutes later Richards created another goal with his speed. He collected a ball on the right flank and drove at defender Ricardo Clark before attempting to fire a cross into the box. Clark knocked the ball down with his hand, however, drawing a penalty kick.

Juan Pablo Angel buried the chance to give the Red Bulls the commanding 2-0 lead in the game and 3-1 lead in the series before the break.

New York goalkeeper Danny Cepero made a huge save on Houston forward Brian Ching in the 53rd minute. Ching broke into the box but Cepero came out to challenge and knocked the ball away from one of his five saves in the game.

The Dynamo's (0-1-1) next big chance came right before the hour mark. Eddie Robinson headed a corner kick off the crossbar before Ching knocked the rebound over the bar.

Richards put the nail in the Dynamo coffin in the 81st minute, setting up John Wolyneic for the team's third goal.

He collected the ball in the midfield, drove past three defenders into the box before cutting back at the endline and playing a low cross the Wolyniec, who had an easy tap in.

The Red Bulls (1-0-1) will now travel to take on Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference final next weekend at Rio Tinto Stadium.



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