Houston Down In-State Rivals Dallas 1-0

The I-45 series resumed on Saturday night with the Houston Dynamo hosting F.C. Dallas at Robertson Stadium on the campus of the University of Houston.

The Dynamo entered the match on fine form, having won their last two outings, including a 2-0 victory over the New England Revolution last week. Meanwhile, the Hoops were hoping to turn their fortunes around after having lost three in a row.

Despite a great performance from Ray Burse in goal, the Hoops could not keep Houston off the board and fell 1-0 victims to their Texas rivals.

First Half

The battle for El Capitan, the trophy the two Texas teams tussle for every year, began with the home side on the front foot and the Dynamo nearly got on the board in the early going.

After a sloppy back-pass from F.C. Dallas defender had to be knocked out for a corner Houston went quickly with the set piece. Kei Kamara floated a ball to the back post where Bobby Boswell was waiting unmarked and pounded a powerful header down at goal. The ball looked to be heading into the net, but F.C. Dallas had marked the posts smartly and cleared the ball out of danger.

The visitors calmed down after the rocky start, but weren’t able to open up any real chances of their own in the first 20 minutes of the game

Brad Davis had a nice hit at frame for Houston in the 20^th after a sloppy foul gave the midfielder an opportunity to have a go from 30 yards out. Though the ball was well-struck and looked goal-bound, it never dipped back down and sailed over the bar.

Davis had another attempt in the 26^th when Brian Ching turned his defender and chipped a ball back across the frame of goal. Davis took on an acrobatic attempt that didn’t quite come off, but the home side were again asserting themselves.

Stuart Holden had the next good look at goal for the home side three minutes later when Brain Mullan found him in with time to shoot from the top of the 18. The shot sailed on the young midfielder and the home side would continue to be frustrated in front of goal.

The home side almost paid for their missed chances in the 35^th when Dallas came close from a corner. Steve Purdy got to Dave van den Bergh’s cross and out his head on it, but the defender couldn’t get the direction right and the ball sailed wide of Houston’s goal.

Ching should’ve put Houston in front in the 38^th. Mullan stripped Dallas defender Blake Wagner and ran down the right flank before sending the ball to the back post where Davis was waiting. Davis pulled the ball back to Ching who had it on a silver platter seven yards from goal, but failed to hit the target.

Dallas ‘keeper Ray Burse was quick off his line minutes later and denied another Houston chance when Ching played Kamara in on goal. In the end both sides would have to be content to go into the half level despite Houston’s dominant performance in the first half.

Second Half

Dallas opened the second half with some good possession that almost paid off in the 49^th when Kenny Cooper sent a ball through to Jeff Cunningham, but the speedy forward was cut off at the last moment by Houston’s defense and the ball was pushed out for a corner.

Two minutes later Dallas’ defense fell asleep on a throw and Houston found Ching in behind. The veteran striker tried his luck from tough angle, but Burse was on hand again to make the save.

The breakthrough would finally come for Houston in the 57^th. Davis sent Holden down the left flank and the midfielder pinged a cross to the back post where Kamara out jumped his defender and finished the play with a strong header into the net.

Mullan almost made it two for the home side in the 64th when he beat his defender and unleashed a shot with his right foot, but Burse got down well and kept his team from having an even bigger hill to climb.

Schellas Hyndman, hoping to turn the results around for his charges, made an attacking change by bringing on Dax McCarty for Wagner and switching to a three-man backline. The move seemed to be working as the visitors were breaking up more of Houston’s possession and in the 76^th Cooper had a glorious chance to equalize.

After Holden made a mistake in a bad area and gave the ball away cheaply Dallas broke down the right through Cunningham. The fleet-footed striker found Cooper charging down the middle, but Cooper’s first time effort was poor and sailed high and wide.

 Burse was called into action again in the 84^th when Corey Ashe, who had just stepped on the pitch, was played in behind the Dallas line by Holden. But Burse was off his line quickly and shut down any chance the winger had of putting the game on ice.

Houston would good one final look at goal when van den Bergh crossed in and found Eric Avila unmarked in the box. The header was on target, but lacked the power and direction to beat Houston ‘keeper Pat Onstad. It was Dallas’ first shot on goal, keeping alive a franchise streak of having never failed to put on a shot on frame, but that was little consolation on the night. The match would end with Houston still clinging to a 1-0 lead.

Allen Ramsey, Goal.com

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