A last-second shot saved the day for the Houston Dynamo, who were just three minutes away from starting the MLS season 0-2 after winning back-to-back MLS Cups.
Making his first-ever start, Geoff Cameron took a pass from Brian Ching and drilled a shot just under the crossbar in the 91st minute and brought the Dynamo back for a 3-3 tie Sunday afternoon at Robertson Stadium.
Franco Caraccio and an own goal provided the other goals for Houston, who rallied to avenge a 3-0 loss in their season opener at New England last weekend. Kenny Cooper scored two goals for FC Dallas and Arturo Alvarez scored the other for the Hoops, who were just minutes away from winning their first ever game in Houston.
But Cameron's score salvaged a point for the Dynamo, who are now 5-0-1 in six all-time league meetings with Dallas at Robertson Stadium.
Goalie Tony Caig, who replaced starter Pat Onstad in the first half when Onstad left with a right shoulder injury, made a key save just moments before Cameron's goal.
Ricardinho led a three-on-one charge down the far side, faked a pass and drilled a shot that Caig saved, keeping hope alive for the Dynamo, who were missing several regulars through injury.
And Onstad wasn't the only player hurt for Houston. Defender Eddie Robinson had to be helped off the field when he was injured on what ultimately was the last play of the game.
Caig, who last played with financially troubled Gretna F.C. in Scotland, gave up goals on three consecutive scoring chances before settling down and playing well enough to help the Dynamo get their first result of the league season.
Houston had two good scoring chances in the first 18 minutes of the match. Just 30 seconds into the game, De Rosario broke through the Dallas defense and slid a nice pass over to Caraccio, who couldn't settle the pass.
No shot was recorded, but the game might have turned out quite different if Caraccio had scored in the game's opening minute.
Houston survived a good FC Dallas chance 13 minutes later when a Dax McCarty corner kick found Rocha who beat Onstad. But the shot bounced off the crossbar and the game remained scoreless until the 21st minute when Caraccio scored his first MLS goal.
After FC Dallas had a good look at Onstad, the Dynamo turned a perfect transition into their first goal of the MLS season. Richard Mulrooney fed De Rosario who was streaking down the near side.
Looking for Corey Ashe, De Rosario's pass was a bit too strong, but Ashe tracked down the errant cross and found Caraccio, whose header bounced past Dario Sala in the 21st minute.
Seven minutes later, the match turned when Onstad left with an apparent right shoulder injury. A minute after Caraccio's goal, Onstad collided with Blake Wagner, but stayed in the game after getting some attention from the training staff. But Caig made his MLS debut in the 28th minute when Onstad was forced to leave because of the injury.
It was a baptism by fire as the Hoops scored on back-to-back shots to take a 2-1 lead into the halftime break. In the 35th minute, Cooper scored his first of the game when he took a pass from Rocha and chipped a shot over Caig, who came out of his net a bit expecting a quick shot.
After Craig Waibel hit the near post in the 38th minute, FC Dallas converted right before stoppage time began when Juan Toja fed Cooper at the top of the box. Cooper quickly fired a shot that deflected off Caig and into the net to give FCD the 45th-minute lead.
The Hoops outshot the Dynamo 5-4 in the first half and dominated play after Onstad's injury.
In the 57th minute, the Dynamo found some life when Geoff Cameron sent a ball into the goal area, aimed for Ching. The ball bounced off a sliding Drew Moor and into the goal past Sala for an own goal.
But less than a minute later, Caig allowed his third goal on as many shots when Pablo Ricchetti found a streaking Alvarez and ripped a shot into the net for a 3-2 Hoops lead. Alvarez was wide open after Eddie Robinson slipped while trying to get back in the play.
In the 66th minute, Caig got the Bronx cheer when he handled a missed Hoops pass that rolled to the 'keeper.
Caig made three more saves over the final quarter of the match, while Sala wasn't much troubled in the FCD goal. That is, until Cameron's heroics gave the Orange the tie and kept their unbeaten home record alive against their in-state rivals.
The Dynamo next face the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions' Cup semifinal against Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa when they travel to the Central American country on Wed., April 9 (9 p.m. CT). FC Dallas will return to Pizza Hut Park to face the New York Red Bulls at Sat., April 12 (7:30 p.m. CT).
Andrew J. Ferraro is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
