The Dynamo took on Eastern Conference rivals Columbus Crew on a hot night in Houston, Texas. While the official game time temperature was announced at 92 degrees, the temperature on the pitch had to be approaching triple digits. To make matters worse for the visiting team they had to play the match in their all black kits.
Despite the disadvantages for the visiting team they were first to strike. After forty minutes of back and forth sloppy play it was a misplay in the back that gave the Crew the opening goal of the match. Bobby Boswell was dispossessed in his own half and Bernando Anor found Andres Mendoza on a through ball and Mendoza shot low and right past Tally Hall. Houston’s only real chance of the first half came on a left footed blast from midfielder Colin Clark from just outside the box. The shot was saved by Columbus keeper Will Hesmer out for a corner kick that came to nothing. Two Dynamo players were booked with yellow cards in the first half, defender Hunter Freeman in the 43rd minute and midfielder Lovel Palmer in stoppage time of the opening 45.
The second half started and shortly afterwards Houston was down to 10 men. Lovel Palmer was shown his second yellow card after a tackle on Anor and Houston was forced to play the remaining 38 minutes down a man. After the red card, Brad Davis was moved to the central midfield with Corey Ashe pushing up from left back and making the formation a 3-4-2 for the Dynamo. Despite being a man down Houston had a great chance in the 60th minute. Will Bruin broke down the left side and his shot was parriede by Hesmer. The ball was worked back to Clark at the top of the box and again Hesmer was there to make the save. The Dynamo used all three of their substitutions looking for offense as Brian Ching, Colin Clark, and Jason Garey were all brought on in the second half to try and find a goal.
A goal did come in in the 77th minute but it was the Crew doubling their lead. Bernardo Anor received a cross on the back post and with a wide opn net shot back across off Dynamo keeper Tally Hall. He made no mistake with his rebound as he roofed it in the upper right corner to all but assure Columbus a valuable three road points.
From the Dynamo perspective it was a very frustrating match. I’ve been saying all year that the Dynamo lack a real spark plug in the center of midfield and it definitely showed against the Crew. Palmer and Geoff Cameron are defensive minded central midfielders and lack the creativity and the drive going forward offensively. The team desperately needs an attacking midfielder who can control the pace offensively and distribute to the goal scorers. Brad Davis does this well on the left flank but with two big target forwards on the field mostly all the time, the Dynamo need another player in the middle to do what Davis does wide. The team has got to play with more urgency going forward if they hope to make the playoffs in 2011. Against the Crew, the team was very listless nad looked almost disinterested. The fans, the ones who didn’t leave early, let the team has it as they booed the Dynamo off the field at the conclusion of the match.
Bernardo Anor was the man of the match with a goal and an assist in his first Major League Soccer start. The young Venezuelan came back from an ankle injury which cost him the last 3 matches but showed no rust. The only notables for the Dynamo were things that had nothing to do with what happened on the pitch. Midfielder Brad Davis made his 200th career start in MLS and forward Brian Ching made his 175th appearance, his 150th for the Dynamo. The win marked the first of the season for Columbus on the road.
With the loss, Houston falls to 4-6-6 (18 points, 4th in the East) while Columbus improves to 5-4-6 (21 points, 3rd in the East). The Dynamo will travel to DC for their next match next Saturday while Columbus will host the defending MLS champion Colorado Rapids next Sunday.
(image courtesy of mlssoccer.com)
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