Under a broiling sun and in front of a large crowd fully engaged in the spectacle, Puntarenas FC claimed the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup quarterfinal series against Houston Dynamo with a dramatic 1-0 victory Wednesday afternoon in the Costa Rican coastal city.
The contest was decided in stoppage time when Kurt Bernard found the back of the net. Although the strike didn't have much power, a deflection by a Dynamo defender was enough to give it a way into the Houston goal.
The game began evenly, with Houston controlling the ball well, completing their passes and dictating their style of play on the home side. The first threat came seven minutes into the match from the boots of Alejandro Moreno, who fired just past the right post of Shane Orio's goal.
The warning spurred the home Orange into action, who began to threaten the Houston goal guarded by Pat Onstad with more frequency. Dynamo also brought some danger on themselves with fouls all around the edge of their own penalty area.
In the 11th minute, Mario Viquez tested Onstad with a low shot, and in the 12th, Bernard let fly with a shot that just sailed wide.
Then in the 18th minute, referee Germán Arredondo of Mexico ruled out an apparent goal scored by Roberto Wong after he charged into Onstad. The play was the end of the Canadian international's afternoon as he suffered an ankle injury.
In his place came Zach Wells, who was on the field for just a short time before he turned hero, pushing aside a penalty kick from Bernard.
Waibel and Bernard collided in the area, and as the Costa Rican fell to the turf, Arredondo whistled for the maximum sentence. Bernard tried to slip his effort to Wells' left, but the substitute 'keeper was able to stretch to his left and deflect it outside the post to keep out the opening goal
For much of the opening 45 minutes Houston was penned into their own end, yet while the Puntarenas attacks were consistent, they lacked calmness at the end to put the ball into the back of the Dynamo goal. The final five minutes of the half reflected complete domination by the Costa Rican side, with attacks that well could have finished in the opening goal. The last chance fell to a header by Wong, but he missed as well.
It was a common theme in the first half: multiple attempts by the "tico" squad to open their account, and their organized MLS rivals putting out the fire. The second half didn't see much variance.
Puntarenas maintained the attacking ambition through Mario Camacho and Jorge Barboza, as the spearheads in attack. But they were rarely able to corral the ball, their height neutralized by the Dynamo defenders, courageous and strong in their marking.
As time wound down, Puntarenas began to devote more resources into attack, in nearly a desperate fashion. But mainly it led to stray passes and a lack of clarity as they approached the Houston goal.
In the 72nd minute the Costa Ricans were handed more good fortune, when Arredondo sent off center back Eddie Robinson, apparently for time-wasting. The defender had received a yellow card very early on and received his second after seemingly simulating a foul.
Also receiving a red card was Dynamo trainer Bruce Morgan, who kicked the Red Cross stretcher after coming onto the field to tend to Moreno, who suffered a knock.
In the final minutes, Houston had their best chance when Paul Dalglish shot low from inside the area, but Orio was able to block. Then four minutes from the end Wells turned aside a chance from Barboza with a phenomenal dive.
Just when it seemed Houston would survive the disadvantages on level terms, the goal came, more heart than talent. Bernard fired from just inside the area, the deflection sent the ball to Wells' right as he went the other way, and it made all the difference.
The return leg is set for Thurs., March 1 at the Aggie Soccer Complex in College Station, Texas.
Kenneth Hernandez Cerdas is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
