With both teams desperately needing three points to aid their postseason causes, the Columbus Crew and Houston Dynamo played to a 1-1 draw Saturday evening at Crew Stadium. A second-half goal by Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario looked to secure his club a much-needed victory, but an 80th-minute header by Jason Garey evened the score.
With the single point, combined with the draw between the Kansas City Wizards and New England Revolution, the Crew's playoff hopes are alive by the slenderest of threads -- Columbus is now eight points behind the Wizards with three games left. Dynamo could find themselves in third in the Western Conference by the end of the night.
The match's first opportunity fell to Houston in just the third minute. Dynamo midfielder Brian Mullan showcased some fancy footwork and out-stepped Marc Burch, who was making his first career appearance as a left back. After beating Burch, Mullan unleashed a shot on the Crew goal which was diverted at the last moment by a kick save from 'keeper Bill Gaudette.
The Crew's first true opportunity for goal came in the 20th minute. Crew midfielder Brandon Moss struck the ball from 25 yards and sent it skidding across the wet turf. But the offering curved wide left and faded harmlessly across the end line.
Dynamo forward Alejandro Moreno made his presence known midway through the first half. In the 23rd minute, the Venezuelan international lofted an offering from the left touchline to a charging Mullan at the far post. Mullan collected Moreno's pass, but volleyed his shot wide right. Moments later, Moreno took a shot of his own, but Gaudette smothered the effort.
The Crew dodged a bullet late in the first half. Craig Waibel released a pass to Brad Davis who was positioned within feet of the Crew goal. To the Crew's good fortune, the resulting header from Davis was mis-hit and landed harmlessly upon the netting atop the goal.
At half, the match remained scoreless. Houston offered nine shots at the Crew goal with three on target. The Crew were limited to three total shots -- none on goal.
Much like the onset of the first half, it was Houston which offered the initial challenges in the second half. In the 52nd minute Brian Ching latched onto a deflection and launched a missile in the direction of the Crew goal but it was again saved by Gaudette.
But in the 54th minute the visitors took the lead through De Rosario. From a restart, the Canadian international let fly from 30 yards which found its way past Gaudette and to the back of the Crew net for his 11th goal of the season.
Despite a lack of serious offensive opportunities in the early second half, the Crew did manage to draw level in the 80th minute. Duncan Oughton sent in a cross and Garey artfully headed the ball past Houston 'keeper Pat Onstad for the leveller.
Onstad was called upon to make a couple more saves down the stretch, on Oughton and substitute Ezra Hendrickson, while Dynamo had their share of efforts that never made it through to goal, but both teams in the end were forced to settle for a disappointing share of the points when three were needed.
Ryan D. Kuhn is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
