Sounders FC Within Three Points Of First Place Dynamo After 2-1 Win

Both teams were missing key individuals in a match that featured a fill-in head coach, a controversial Seattle goal and outstanding saves by Houston goalie Pat Onstad.

Jul 12, 2009 5:37:47 PM

More On : Houston Dynamo, Seattle Sounders FC

SEATTLE, Wash.— Brian Schmetzer, Seattle Sounders FC’s assistant head coach, stepped in for head coach Sigi Schmid, who skipped the match to attend his son’s wedding. When he looked at the game day Houston lineup, the Western Conference’s top team, Schmetzer saw a depleted team missing key players due to national team duties, suspensions and injuries. The Dynamo made the former USL Sounders head coach and his team work hard for Schmetzer’s first MLS coaching win.

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"[I was] relatively calm because I think we had done all the preparation," Schmetzer said of his emotions before the match started. "That’s one thing I learned from Sigi (Schmid) is to prepare for all the games."

With veteran Dynamo ‘keeper Pat Onstad in the nets, the afternoon game proved anything but easy for the expansion Sounders. Onstad made two critical saves, one in each half, to keep Houston in the game.

Houston forward Brad Davis scored in the 12th minute to give the Dynamo an early 1-0 lead.

"We had a good build-up and swung the ball from side-to-side and played a good combination," Davis said of his early goal. "[Brian Mullan] dragged some guys to him and made a good play and laid a good ball up to me at the top of the box and I was able to finish it."

Then, Sounders FC’s Fredy Montero’s controversial first half goal tied the game at 1-1. Despite Houston’s protests, the referee agreed with his assistant to allow a goal that may or may not have crossed the goal line.

Houston coach Dominic Kinnear was unforgiving of Montero’s goal and said, "I know for a fact it wasn’t in and I know for a fact that the linesman was out of position. And I know for a fact that it was the same guy that called a goal on us two years ago at Salt Lake and it wasn’t even close to a goal."

Montero, through an interpreter, described the goal that Houston felt should not have been allowed.

"That was a good play," he said. "We had time for Nate (Jaqua) to control the ball, I had time to indicate where I wanted it . . . he found the spot, he found the place. I had to chest it down, then it didn’t go down so I had to touch it again."

With the crowd barely seated after the halftime break, Sounders FC defender Patrick Ianni used a highlight film bicycle-kick goal in the 46th minute to give Seattle the 2-1 win.

After Seattle gave up the first goal, he felt the Sounders didn’t do a good job defensively. "My style is to get all of the emotions out early, so I was a little upset about giving up the goal and how we gave up the goal. I didn’t think we defended it as a group or as a team very well."

"It was hot out there and the ball never gets tired," Schmetzer said of the game conditions. "So we wanted to make sure we used long possessions to wear them down and create opportunities for us."

Kinnear didn’t use any excuses for the loss or his depleted squad.

"They worked their hardest and that’s all we can ask for when they step on the field," he said of the Dynamo’s effort on a hot Seattle afternoon. "Sometimes it’s a lot to overcome and it was too much today.

"I don’t really like to talk too much about the guys who are missing because it takes away from the guys that are playing," he said. "But we are shorthanded, but so are a lot of teams and it’s easy to lean on that as a crutch and say that’s your excuse for not winning games."

Dynamo ‘keeper Onstad didn’t want to get embroiled in the controversy or fined by MLS in questioning the referee’s decision to let the goal stand. Instead, he described the second half save against Montero to prevent a third Seattle goal.

"I thought I was actually slow on the turn," Onstad said. "In the end, it probably saved me because I was in a good position feetwise to react to it. It was one of those ones where you don’t realize you’ve made a good save until the ball has been cleared."

Ianni’s spectacular shot proved to the game winner. "It was a good game for us," he said of the match. "We needed to run with these guys and everyone worked really hard tonight. I’m happy the game gave me a chance and I was able to put it away."

John Zielonka, Goal.com

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