The opening round of the inaugural SuperLiga was unable to escape controversy with Dallas surrendering a goal after the ball was handled while LA Galaxy scored twice to open with a win.

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FC DALLAS DRAWN TO CONTROVERSY
With MLS officials recently having come under fire from Kansas City head coach Curt Onalfo, the SuperLiga got off to a controversial start Tuesday night in the 1-1 opening round draw between Dallas and Guadalajara.

The two sides both had scores in the second half, and while Dallas forward Antonio Alvarez's was a goal of class, the equalizer just 11 minutes later was clearly tainted. Antonio Olvera beat Juan Toja to a loose ball, but used an arm to keep control and take the shot.

Dallas came close to jumping out to an early lead when Carlos Ruiz tried tried a shot from midfield after winning the ball, but Ernest Michel, who had been caught off his line by the Guatemalan striker, arrived just in time to deflect the shot out.

Arturo Alvarez put the hosts on top in the 56th minute when Carlos Ruiz found him streaking up the right side. The Houston native put a spectacular chip on goal that went just beyond the outstretched arms of the Guadalajara keeper.

Lead referee Walter Quesada allowed Olvera to level the score in the 67th minute, despite having quite clearly used an outstretched arm to control the loose ball. Though virtually every Dallas player raised their hands in protest at the time, Quesada remained silent and Olvera's ensuing shot was unstoppable.

Six minutes later, as some say tournament organizers had been hoping privately, tempers flared on the field between the two sides when Drew Moor retaliated for taking an elbow to the face. Hector Reynoso easily baited the Dallas defender and fell to the ground holding his face after being pushed in the chest, and Quesada sent Moor to an early shower.

Both teams will be that much more hopeful of a win for their second first round matches on Saturday when Dallas host Pachuca, while Guadalajara travel to Carson, California to take on the LA Galaxy.

Scoring
FCD - Arturo Alvarez, 1 (Carlos Ruiz ) 56'
GUA - Antonio Olvera, 1 (unassisted) 67'

Line-ups

FCD - Ray Burse, Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Adrian Serioux, Chris Gbandi, Juan Toja, Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa, Arturo Alvarez (Dominic Oduro, 92'), Ricardinho (Bobby Rhine, 82'), Carlos Ruiz

CDG - Ernesto Michel, Mario de Luna, Juan Ocampo, Hector Reynoso, Sergio Avila (Antonio Olvera, 66'), Edgar Mejia, Omar Arellano, Xavier Baez, Julio Nava (Adrian Cardenas, 85'), Antonio Salazar (Jesus Padill,a 57'), Sergio Santana

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GALAXY UPEND PACHUCA
Landon Donovan scored the game-winner for the LA Galaxy, giving his side an opening round win over Mexico side Pachuca, one of the pre-tournament favorites to come away with the tournament trophy.

Though the visitors controlled the action for most of the match, it was the home side who came away with the victory thanks to Alan Gordon's first goal for the Galaxy this year, and Donovan's late score.

Pachuca had their first chance in the fifth minute when Luis Gabriel Rey found some space down the right side. With Abel Xaveir hard charging and Galaxy keeper Joe Cannon closing down the angle, the Pachuca forward fired high.

Cannon came up big in the 16th for the hosts when his foot save kept Marquez Lugo from opening the scoring after sneaking in behind the defense after Kelly Gray had given the ball away in his own third.

Cannon was under pressure the entire game, with Pachuca unleashing as many shots on goal in the first half as LA would have all game.

Galaxy forward Carlos Pavon had the first chance of the second half just two minutes in when his shot from 20 yards after breaking free down the right hand side went wide.

It was on a ball from Donovan in the 50th minute that Gordon was finally able to open his account. The Galaxy sent a ball into the box from the right side just past the midfield mark. Though well-marked, Gordon was able to chest the ball forward and fire left-footed past Miguel Calero to the far post.

Calero would make a great reflex save on a Kelly Gray shot from inside the box in the 71st, allowing Pachuca to tie the score when they finally did reap rewards from their dominating play.

Second half substitute Damian Alvarez made his way around the right side of the Galaxy defense and centered for Rafael Marquez Lugo who redirected past a helpless cannon for the equalizer.

Three minutes later, Cobi Jones, seemingly trying to win the game all by himself took possession down the left side, cut back and cut back again before letting loose from just inside the penalty area. Donovan jumped over the shot and redirected a bouncer past Calero giving the former Bayer Leverkusen product an assist and a goal on the evening.

Scoring

LA - Alan Gordon, 1 (Landon Donovan) 50'
PAC - Rafael Marquez Lugo, 1 (Damian Alvarez) 78'
LA - Landon Donovan, 1 (Cobi Jones) 81'

Line-ups

LA - Joe Cannon; Ante Jazic, Ty Harden, Abel Xavier, Troy Roberts (Quavas Kirk, 58'), Kyle Martino (Cobi Jones 46'), Landon Donovan, Kelly Gray, Chris Klein, Alan Gordon (Gavin Glinton 82'), Carlos Pavon (Peter Vagenas 65')

PAC - Miguel Calero; Carlos Rodriguez, Marvin Cabrera, Aquivaldo Mosquera, Fernando Salazar (Damian Alvarez 56'), Leobardo Lopez, Andres Chitiva (Jose Torres 92'), Christian Gimenez, Gabriel Caballero, Rafael Marquez Lugo, Luis Gabriel Rey (Victor Manon 87')