This match was pretty entertaining. If you sat down and just looked at the match commentary sheet, you might think to just watch the first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes, since that's when the goals were scored. However, both teams had some nice undercurrents and guys playing hard off the ball. It was a nice tactical soccer match. Much better than the Supercrapico in LA.
Things got shaken up early. Real early. 43 seconds in Rodgers knocked the ball back to a trailing Dane Richards who blasted it from well outside the Houston penalty area and caught the Dynamo defense and Tally Hall flat-footed, giving the New Yorkers a 0-1 lead. Everybody caught their breath and waited to see how the Dynamo would respond.
To their credit, they didn't fold at all or even really look shaken. They shook it off and continued with their game plan which was trying to control possession so the Red Bulls (going without the injured Henry) couldn't dictate the game. It worked pretty well and started to produce chances. Will Bruin made his presence felt in the 8th minute when he got a header on target, but was more effective when he sliced into the NY penalty area in the 11th minute, only to be hacked down by Rafa Marquez and earn the Dynamo a PK. Brad Davis stepped up and sent Sutton the wrong way on the spot kick, equalizing at 1-1.
Both teams continued to generate chances throughout the first half. Unfortunately, the final ball in the attacking third seemed to be escaping the reach of both sidesm especially Houston, and Brad Davis, who had a hell of a game for the Dynamo on both sides of the ball was clearly frustrated. Still, neither team was able convert again and we went to the break tied at 1-1.
NY came out strong in the second half and focused on an attacking presence. This generated a couple of chances for them in the first 5 minutes. In the 47th Richards, who was like lightning in a bottle all night, got in only to have his shot blocked. Rodgers got a decent look in the 49th minute, but his on target strike was corralled by Tally Hall.
However, after the opening flurry by New York, Houston started to take control. Will Bruin found the side netting in the 61st minute and Boswell had a header go just off target in the 63rd. They had a real great chance in the 66th when Geoff Cameron got 1 on 1 with Sutton, but the 6'6 keeper hit the deck and literally took it off his feet. Cameron got another crack in the 73rd minute, but totally choked the chance away, despite having another 1 on 1, he let lost control of the ball off of his own feet and dribbled harmlessly out for a goal kick.
Houston looked like they would get the game winning goal in the 82nd. Cameron got his head on a corner, and though Sutton saved it, it rebounded right to Koke who put it in and scored his first MLS goal to give the Dynamo a 2-1 lead.
Then the Dynamo took Brad Davis out for a defender and in my opinion, they sat back way too much. They allowed NY to finally wrestle the ball away and produce a couple of chances. This bore fruit in stoppage time, when Mehdi Ballouchy got his head on a corner and equalized at 2-2. That would be the final goal and salvage a point for the Red Bulls on the road.
All in all, I think Houston played the better game, but the result was deserved because they had chances to put the game away and they just didn't get it done. Cameron's flub in the 73rd looms large over this result. NY didn't play real well but proved they could grind out a result without Henry, and should buck them up a bit going forward.
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