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Played
July 10, 2010 8:30 PM EDT
Robertson Stadium, Houston, Texas
July 10, 2010 8:30 PM EDT
Robertson Stadium, Houston, Texas
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Houston Dynamo 0-0 Columbus Crew: Unlucky Brian Ching Squanders Game's Best Opportunity
Game of few chances leaves Houston striker wondering.
By Julian Kersh
After the Dynamo were held to a scoreless draw at home against the Columbus Crew, Houston hitman Brian Ching may be left harping over his wasted opportunity in the middle of the first half.
The scoreless draw in Houston was the first 0-0 result for both teams this campaign, and the result accurately reflects a night where both clubs produced more half opportunities than solid scoring chances.
First Half
The forgettable result, however, will highlight Ching's miss in the 24th minute when he found himself wide open on Columbus' back post.
The game's first promising moment, the play began with Ching on the ball at the top corner of Columbus' box. After a few feigns at beating his marker, he switched the ball to the right side into the path of an on-running Danny Cruz. Cruz's deft first touch with his head sent the ball past his defender and put him through to the end line. The winger's asking pass cut across through the box, leaving Columus keeper Will Hesmer stranded on the near post, and found Ching with an open net on the back side.
A quick skip left Ching little time to square his body up to side foot the ball into the open net, and the striker's left peg couldn't get around the ball before sailing it high and wide.
The Dynamo won the ensuing corner kick and won another corner, keeping the pressure on the Crew, who rarely kept possession in the first half and strung together even fewer successful passes in their offensive third.
The 35th minute saw the Dynamo combine well in the middle of the park before sending Corey Ashe down the left side. His in-swinging cross found Cameron Weaver, who had slipped his man on the back post but couldn't position himself well enough to keep the header from sailing over.
During the first 45, the Dynamo had been asking all the questions of the Crew were kept on their heels and restrained to counter-attacks. The first half ended how the game eventually would: few real opportunities produced by either team and the best one coming from the Danny Cruz ball to Brian Ching.
Second Half
At the beginning of the second half, the Crew showed better linking play and possession of the ball, but still had trouble advancing on the offensive.
One of the side's best attempts came in the 48th minute when Robbie Rogers got free on the left side and lofted in a nicely weighted cross to the penalty spot for an on-running Guillero Schellotto, but the Crew playmaker couldn't keep the header down on frame.
One of the second half's more dramatic moments came off a deep Dynamo free kick from the right sideline. Ching flashed onto the diagonal ball, just heading it away from the grasp of Hesmer, who looked to trip up Ching as the striker went to corral the ball. Few appeals were made for a foul, but the replays suggested the keeper's contact on Ching could have warranted a penalty - a decision that would have been key in the stalemate.
The Dynamo still looked to be the side to break the deadlock. Ching was typically the man pestering the Columbus back line, but in the 54th minute Ashe found himself played through on goal, just left of the penalty spot, but selflessly attempted to center the ball for Ching rather than take a shot. To the relief of the Crew, the ball was slotted too far in front of Ching and rolled free of danger.
Minutes later, another attack broke down due to a poor final ball - this time on Columbus' attacking end. Eddie Gaven cut the ball up the goal line from the outside and tried to find a trailing Adam Moffat at the penalty spot, but couldn't find the open player's foot. The night's goalless draw, in the end, seemed to be as much a result of staunch defending as it was squandered opportunities.
Coaches Dominic Kinnear and Robert Warzycha started making changes for their teams around the 64rd minute mark, but the substitutes had little impact on the dry game.
Deep into the 70s, Andrew Hainhault found himself beaten and eventually booked when he was forced to take down the Crew's Robbie Rogers on the left side, conceding a free kick. Schellotto swung the dead ball in and Dynamo's keeper Pad Onstad emerged from the fray of bodies to punch the ball away. Play resumed, but was stopped moments later to check on Onstad, who was rattled after the scuffle, as was Eddie Robinson.
The Dynamo's best chance of the second half arrived with 10 minutes to play. Brad Davis, the strongest substitute for both sides, played a cutting through ball to Cameron Weaver that caught the Crew defense on its heels. Weaver's first touch put him in good position but his strike drifted just inches wide of the back post having beaten the keeper.
In the thick of stoppage time, Houston fans' hearts stopped as a lazy backpass looked to put the Crew forward through, but keeper Pat Onstad was quick off his line and got to the 50-50 ball with a sliding clearance to finish the game.
Conceding there in the 93rd minute would have been harsh on Houston since they were the more convincing side, but neither team produced enough quality chances to deserve all three points. With the two clubs meeting in exactly two weeks in Columbus, the Crew will certainly be more pleased with their one point on the road.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
The scoreless draw in Houston was the first 0-0 result for both teams this campaign, and the result accurately reflects a night where both clubs produced more half opportunities than solid scoring chances.
First Half
The forgettable result, however, will highlight Ching's miss in the 24th minute when he found himself wide open on Columbus' back post.
The game's first promising moment, the play began with Ching on the ball at the top corner of Columbus' box. After a few feigns at beating his marker, he switched the ball to the right side into the path of an on-running Danny Cruz. Cruz's deft first touch with his head sent the ball past his defender and put him through to the end line. The winger's asking pass cut across through the box, leaving Columus keeper Will Hesmer stranded on the near post, and found Ching with an open net on the back side.
A quick skip left Ching little time to square his body up to side foot the ball into the open net, and the striker's left peg couldn't get around the ball before sailing it high and wide.
The Dynamo won the ensuing corner kick and won another corner, keeping the pressure on the Crew, who rarely kept possession in the first half and strung together even fewer successful passes in their offensive third.
The 35th minute saw the Dynamo combine well in the middle of the park before sending Corey Ashe down the left side. His in-swinging cross found Cameron Weaver, who had slipped his man on the back post but couldn't position himself well enough to keep the header from sailing over.
During the first 45, the Dynamo had been asking all the questions of the Crew were kept on their heels and restrained to counter-attacks. The first half ended how the game eventually would: few real opportunities produced by either team and the best one coming from the Danny Cruz ball to Brian Ching.
Second Half
At the beginning of the second half, the Crew showed better linking play and possession of the ball, but still had trouble advancing on the offensive.
One of the side's best attempts came in the 48th minute when Robbie Rogers got free on the left side and lofted in a nicely weighted cross to the penalty spot for an on-running Guillero Schellotto, but the Crew playmaker couldn't keep the header down on frame.
One of the second half's more dramatic moments came off a deep Dynamo free kick from the right sideline. Ching flashed onto the diagonal ball, just heading it away from the grasp of Hesmer, who looked to trip up Ching as the striker went to corral the ball. Few appeals were made for a foul, but the replays suggested the keeper's contact on Ching could have warranted a penalty - a decision that would have been key in the stalemate.
The Dynamo still looked to be the side to break the deadlock. Ching was typically the man pestering the Columbus back line, but in the 54th minute Ashe found himself played through on goal, just left of the penalty spot, but selflessly attempted to center the ball for Ching rather than take a shot. To the relief of the Crew, the ball was slotted too far in front of Ching and rolled free of danger.
Minutes later, another attack broke down due to a poor final ball - this time on Columbus' attacking end. Eddie Gaven cut the ball up the goal line from the outside and tried to find a trailing Adam Moffat at the penalty spot, but couldn't find the open player's foot. The night's goalless draw, in the end, seemed to be as much a result of staunch defending as it was squandered opportunities.
Coaches Dominic Kinnear and Robert Warzycha started making changes for their teams around the 64rd minute mark, but the substitutes had little impact on the dry game.
Deep into the 70s, Andrew Hainhault found himself beaten and eventually booked when he was forced to take down the Crew's Robbie Rogers on the left side, conceding a free kick. Schellotto swung the dead ball in and Dynamo's keeper Pad Onstad emerged from the fray of bodies to punch the ball away. Play resumed, but was stopped moments later to check on Onstad, who was rattled after the scuffle, as was Eddie Robinson.
The Dynamo's best chance of the second half arrived with 10 minutes to play. Brad Davis, the strongest substitute for both sides, played a cutting through ball to Cameron Weaver that caught the Crew defense on its heels. Weaver's first touch put him in good position but his strike drifted just inches wide of the back post having beaten the keeper.
In the thick of stoppage time, Houston fans' hearts stopped as a lazy backpass looked to put the Crew forward through, but keeper Pat Onstad was quick off his line and got to the 50-50 ball with a sliding clearance to finish the game.
Conceding there in the 93rd minute would have been harsh on Houston since they were the more convincing side, but neither team produced enough quality chances to deserve all three points. With the two clubs meeting in exactly two weeks in Columbus, the Crew will certainly be more pleased with their one point on the road.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
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