SB Nation Houston - Dynamo Steal One From Playoff Bound Earthquakes, 1-0https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46691/houston-fave.png2010-10-17T20:15:06-05:00http://houston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/15195672010-10-17T20:15:06-05:002010-10-17T20:15:06-05:00Snap Judgments: Dynamo Win Physical Road Match 1-0
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<p><span style="line-height: 16px;">After missing the live broadcast of Houston's 1-0 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.centerlinesoccer.com/">San Jose Earthquakes</a> due to my wedding anniversary, I sat down Sunday afternoon to catch the game on my DVR.</span></p>
<p>All in all, it was a solid effort from the Dynamo; <span>Tyler Deric</span> had three good saves in his first start for the Dynamo, the defense looked much better than in weeks past, the midfield did a great job of supporting and providing service to the forwards and <span>Dominic Oduro</span> and <span>Cam Weaver</span> made good runs and created scoring chances throughout the night.</p>
<p>Here are the notes I made while watching.</p>
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<li><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Glad to see Boswell back after three games out. </span></li>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Cam Weaver may have been lucky to not see red in the second minute for his challenge on <span>Jon Busch</span>. The challenge was a touch late and putting a boot into a goalkeeper's face is a bookable offense. It did not look overly intentional but was still reckless. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">The Dynamo opened up the match very strong and very offensive-minded, just like they have the last 5 or 6 games. The team seems to play their best when they make a conscious effort to start physical and aggressive. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Houston's back line of Hainault, Boswell, Robinson and Chabala had not started together in the last 3-4 weeks. They may have shown some shakiness throughout the season but the defense played well Saturday night. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Dominic Oduro, sure he can be frustrating, but he has come alive at the tail end of this season and is a player I want to see sign a new contract agreement. Strikers are tough to find in MLS, especially for cheap, and his knowledge of the team and Coach Kinnear's system is a valuable asset. Plus, right now he is full of confidence and you have to hope he carries that into next season. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><span>Corey Ashe</span>'s contract also ends after this season. I think if we can keep him at a low salary, then the team needs to sign him to a new deal. Even if he only plays as a substitute or a back-up, he should be able to make enough of an impact to justify his wages. His crossing seems to have improved and hopefully he can work on his balance and crossing at speed in the offseason. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><span>Andrew Hainault</span>'s goalscoring header in the 23rd minute was only his second goal this year, but the defender has come close a number of times on set pieces and corners, and you hope he can find that heading form next season.</span>
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<li>
<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Houston's play on set pieces looked much better on Saturday night. Corner kicks were beating the first man and players were getting good looks on goal. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><span>Danny Cruz</span>, Corey Ashe and <span>Mike Chabala</span>'s crossing was spot on for nearly the entire game. The forwards will score goals if the service to them is good. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"><span>Brad Davis</span>' shot off the post in the 36th minute of the match was an example of something missing from this season. The team needs to take more shots from the center of the pitch and test keepers from range. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Cam Weaver's shots from headers have been decent this season, but the forward needs to start using (and scoring) with his feet. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Houston's midfield did a much better job of switching positions throughout Saturday's game. There were a number of times when <span>Lovel Palmer</span> would slide to the outside and Corey Ashe will fill in in the middle of the pitch, covering Palmer's position. Davis and Palmer also switched positions on a number of occasions and looked comfortable throughout the match.</span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">At the end of the first half it was the Dynamo who looked like a playoff team, dominating possession, passing and shooting.</span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Left back Mike Chabala had a great game. He had a number of blocks and deflections that prevented balls from testing Tyler Deric and was effective when pushing up the pitch in support of the attack. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">The game got a bit testy and physical in the 80th minute when <span>Arturo Alvarez</span> took a dive on the edge of the box following a challenge from Mike Chabala. Bobby Bowell was quick to run over, get in his face and call Alvarez out for the simulation. The sequence of play leading up to and following the dive involved extremely physical play and a number of hard fouls from both teams. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Cam Weaver and Dominic Oduro played the full 90 minutes and pressured Busch throughout. They may not have had the option to be substituted off, but it is always nice to see your forwards play and press for the full game.</span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Tyler Deric, the 22-year old product of the Dynamo Academy, became the first home-grown Houston player to start for the team and was the first home-grown goalkeeper in Major League Soccer to record a clean sheet in their debut.</span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Deric only had to make three saves in his debut, but playing in San Jose's stadium in front of a hostile crowd is a tough way for any player to get their first game. Deric's toughest moment of the night came in the 83rd minute when he was forced to go one-on-one in the air against former Dynamo player <span>Chris Wondolowski</span>. Deric came up big and plucked the ball off of Wondolowski's head. </span>
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<span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="line-height: 16px; font-size: 12px;">Houston's shutout was the Dynamo's first in league play since their scoreless draw with Columbus back on July 10th.</span>
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<p>It was a physical match both teams were lucky not to pick up more cards for hard challenges. As Ginge from Dynamo Theory <a href="http://www.dynamotheory.com/2010/10/17/1757825/tyler-deric-makes-mls-history-in-dynamos-1-0-victory-over-san-jose">said</a>, it wasn't a pretty game, but the Dynamo won't be complaining about a 1-0 victory.</p>
<p>Here are the stats from Saturday's victory.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/">Houston Dynamo</a> (8-15-6) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (12-9-7)<br>October 16, 2010 -- Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara CA</p>
<p><i>Scoring Summary:<br></i>HOU -- Andrew Hainault 2 (Brad Davis 10) 23</p>
<p>Houston Dynamo -- Tyler Deric, Andrew Hainault, <span>Bobby Boswell</span>, <span>Eddie Robinson</span>, Mike Chabala, Danny Cruz (<span>Richard Mulrooney</span> 77), Lovel Palmer, Brad Davis, Corey Ashe, Cam Weaver, Dominic Oduro.<br>Substitutes Not Used: <span>Pat Onstad</span>, <span>Brian Ching</span>, <span>Ryan Cochrane</span>, <span>Francisco Navas Cobo</span>, <span>Anthony Obodai</span>, <span>Adrian Serioux</span>.</p>
<p>San Jose Earthquakes -- Jon Busch, <span>Chris Leitch</span> (<span>Ramiro Corrales</span> 61), <span>Bobby Burling</span>, <span>Jason Hernandez</span>, <span>Tim Ward</span>, Chris Wondolowski, <span>Sam Cronin</span> (<span>Cornell Glen</span> 73), Khari Stephenson (Arturo Alvarez 61), <span>Bobby Convey</span>, <span>Ryan Johnson</span>, Geovanni.<br>Substitutes Not Used: Brian Edwards, Eduardo, <span>Brad Ring</span>, <span>Scott Sealy</span>.</p>
<p><i>Misconduct Summary:<br></i>SJ -- Sam Cronin (caution; Reckless Tackle) 35<br>SJ -- Jon Busch (caution; Dissent) 87</p>
<p>Houston's final game of the season is this coming Saturday, October 23, at 3 p.m. when the Dynamo host the play-off bound <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sounderatheart.com/">Seattle Sounders</a>.</p>
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https://houston.sbnation.com/2010/10/17/1758090/snap-judgments-dynamo-win-physical-road-match-1-0Jordan Wise2010-10-17T10:46:57-05:002010-10-17T10:46:57-05:00Dynamo Down 'Quakes, 1-0
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<p><span style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; line-height: normal; font-size: 10px;">
<p>Santa Clara, CA (Sports Network) - Andrew Hainault scored in the 23rd minute and the Houston Dynamo edged the San Jose Earthquakes, 1-0, on Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium in Major League Soccer.</p>
<p>Houston (8-15-6), which has two wins and a tie in its last four matches, moved out of last place in the Western Conference. The Dynamo have a two-point edge over Chivas USA, which plays twice in the final week of the regular season.</p>
<p>San Jose (12-9-7) wrapped up a playoff berth last week, but slipped to last in the eight-team bracket. The Earthquakes also play two matches in the last week of the season.</p>
<p>Hainault scored the lone goal midway through the opening half when he dove to head a corner kick from Brad Davis past Jon Busch at the near post. Hainault's goal was his third of the season, while Davis picked up his 10th assist.</p>
<p>Houston ends the regular season Oct. 23 when it hosts Seattle, and San Jose hosts Chivas on Wednesday before visiting the Kansas City Wizards on Oct. 23. Chivas plays its second match of the week Oct. 23 against the Chicago Fire.</p>
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https://houston.sbnation.com/2010/10/17/1757009/dynamo-down-quakes-1-0Luke Zimmermann2010-10-16T12:50:55-05:002010-10-16T12:50:55-05:00Dynamo Travel To San Jose For Final Road Game Of The Season
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<p>The <a href="https://www.dynamotheory.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Houston Dynamo</a> travel to San Jose Saturday night for their penultimate game of the year and the final road game of the season when they face off against the Earthquakes.</p>
<p>While there may not be much to play for with San Jose having already secured a spot in the playoffs and the Dynamo out of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, this game is always a rivalry and seems to bring out the sparks from each side.</p>
<p>Houston (7-15-6, 27 points) is coming off of a 2-1 home loss but is 1-0-1 in its last two road games. The Dynamo roster includes seven former Earthquakes, and three of the four Dynamo coaches - head coach Dominic Kinnear and assistants Wade Barrett and Tim Hanley - have experience with San Jose.</p>
<p>San Jose (12-8-7, 43 points) has clinched its first playoff spot since the club moved to Houston following the 2005 season and is led by former Dynamo forward <span>Chris Wondolowski</span>, who has scored 14 goals this season.</p>
<p>The Earthquakes will play without midfielder Andre Luiz (knee surgery), defenders <span>Brandon McDonald</span> (yellow card accumulation) and <span>Ike Opara</span> (foot fracture) and goalkeeper <span>Joe Cannon</span> (ankle fracture).</p>
<p>The Dynamo will play Saturday's match without forward <span>Joseph Ngwenya</span> (red card) and midfielders <span>Geoff Cameron</span> (red card) and <span>Colin Clark</span> (ACL surgery). Forward <span>Brian Ching</span>, midfielder <span>Anthony Obodai</span> and goalkeeper <span>Tally Hall</span> were listed as questionable earlier this week.</p>
<p>Here are three things you need to know about Saturday night's game:</p>
<p>1. Former Dynamo forward Chris Wondolowski is making a late-season run for league MVP after netting 14 goals this season. The striker took home a second Player of the Week award in just four games after scoring two goals last week against D.C. United and having scored all of the Earthquakes last six goals. Tonight's match-up against Pat Onstad could be tough for Wondolowski, who was shut out by Onstad when the two met earlier this season.</p>
<p>2. The Dynamo will be forced to play without midfielder Geoff Cameron and forward Joseph Ngwenya, who both picked up red cards in last weekend's game against the New England Revolution. Ngwenya's absence, combined with an injured Brian Ching, means Dynamo forwards Dominic Oduro and Cam Weaver are likely to play all 89 minutes of Saturday's game. Those minutes could be very valuable for Weaver, who has lacked his power and form from last season since coming off of an early-season series of injuries. Cameron's absence will have more obvious impact on Houston's starting XI because the midfielder has seen significant minutes since returning from his knee injury. While Brad Davis can fill in as center-attacking midfielder, it seems more likely that Lovel Palmer will move up from the center-defensive midfielder position and Richard Mulrooney will fill in behind Palmer. That move will leave Brad Davis on the left wing and either Corey Ashe or Danny Cruz out on the right wing. If Davis does start in the middle expect both Ashe and Cruz to play on the wings and Palmer to stay in his normal position.</p>
<p>3. Third-string Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric could get his first minutes in Major League Soccer play on Saturday if starting 'keeper Pat Onstad's hand is still bothersome. Onstad has played the last few games with the injury and one has to think that he would be resting if normal back-up Tally Hall was healthy. Unfortunately, Hall has been out with a high ankle sprain and has not even seen the bench over the last few weeks. Playing away in San Jose would be a tough first game for Deric, but he does need to pick up minutes at some point.</p>
<p>Here's what tonight's Dynamo starting XI could look like:</p>
<p>F: Cam Weaver<br>F: Dominic Oduro<br>LM: Brad Davis<br>CAM: Lovel Palmer<br>CDM: Richard Mulrooney<br>RM: Corey Ashe<br>LB: <span>Mike Chabala</span><br>CB: <span>Adrian Serioux</span><br>CB: <span>Bobby Boswell</span><br>RB: <span>Andrew Hainault</span><br>GK: Pat Onstad</p>
<p>Subs: Tyler Deric (GK), <span>Ryan Cochrane</span>, Danny Cruz, <span>Eddie Robinson</span>, <span>Francisco Navas Cobo</span>, Brian Ching</p>
<p>The match kicks off at 9 p.m. CT and can be seen in the Houston area on KHOU 11.2 and TV Informa and can be heard in English on SportsTalk 790 and in Spanish on La Ranchera 850.</p>
<p>Stop by <a href="http://www.dynamotheory.com/">Dynamo Theory</a> later tonight for a gamecast with live discussion and analysis</p>
https://houston.sbnation.com/2010/10/16/2322668/dynamo-travel-to-san-jose-for-final-road-game-of-the-seasonJordan Wise