Brian Ching puts the Dynamo in the lead from the spot. (Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Union traveled to Houston and the new BBVA Compass Stadium Saturday hoping to build on the momentum of their previous home victory against Sporting Kansas City. The Dynamo were looking forward to some home cooking after a lackluster performance last time out against the Montreal Impact.
The Union have certainly been playing better since the dismissal of Peter Nowack as manager, but the Dynamo controlled this match early on. Brad Davis was very active, as per usual, and they were also featuring a brand new designated player. Honduran attacker Oscar Boniek Garcia, a Gold Cup veteran, made his debut for the club and looked pretty good. He didn't do anything flashy, but definitely helped set up the attack as Houston debuted a new 4-3-3 formation.
The Dynamo put some decent pressure on the Philly goal in the first 20 minutes, and it finally paid off in the 19th. Mac Kandji took a cross from Boniek Garcia near the top of the area and laid it off to Brad Davis. Davis, ever the expert marksman, chipped the ball over the 'keeper and nestled it into the side netting to give the Dynamo a 1-0 lead.
Houston would also have a chance to double the lead before the half. Set pieces are a forte of this club, and they nearly made another one pay off in the 34th minute. Brad Davis found the head of US International Geoff Cameron, but the big central defender somehow missed the target with his shot and the half ended at 1-0.
The Union came out like a totally different team in the second half though and equalized almost immediately. In the 46th minute Brian Carroll connected with one Keon Daniel, who blasted the ball past Tally Hall into the bottom of the goal to tie the match at 1-1 and send the Dynamo reeling.
Philadelphia would continue to press for the go ahead goal in the next minutes and the Dynamo put out a lot of work to withstand the storm. Michael Farfan had a shot saved by Hall in the 48th minute, and Gabriel Gomez had a shot blocked in the 53rd. Their best chance came in the 72nd minute when super sub Antoine Hoppenot sent a shot just over Tally Hall's crossbar.
However the game changer happened in the the 81st minute when Gabe Farfan brought down Brian Ching in the 18 to concede a PK. The Houston main-stay then stepped up himself to take the kick, and iced it to make the score 2-1 in the 82nd and hand the Dynamo 3 points at home. It was also his first goal in the new Stadium, which is often called "the house that Ching built."
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