The Houston Dynamo will have to wait at least another week to get their first win of the season.
The defending champions controlled the tempo yet again, had most of the game's scoring chances, but could not get the one goal they needed Saturday and had to settle for a scoreless draw against Chivas USA on Saturday night at Robertson Stadium.
The players received their championship rings in a pre-game ceremony that included former President George Bush, but the Dynamo could not complete their night to remember against a Chivas USA squad that remains ahead of the Dynamo in the Western Conference standings.
Saturday's match featured an MLS season-high tying nine cards by both teams, and Chivas USA had to play a man short after the 82nd minute when Claudio Suarez was sent off after he pulled down Brian Mullan on a breakaway.
Houston had two chances in the final 10 minutes -- by far the best opportunities in the game -- but could not get the winning goal by Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
In the 86th minute, Mullan had a rebound chance but he missed wide. Three minutes later, Corey Ashe took a perfect pass from Dwayne De Rosario but was stopped point-blank by Guzan.
Before Suarez was ejected, De Rosario had another good look when he had Guzan beaten with a quick shot. But De Rosario missed just wide left; he looked skyward and covered his face, all but summing up the kind of season it has been for the two-time champions.
Guzan was easily the man of the match. He made five critical saves and was much busier than his counterpart Pat Onstad, who finished with a rather pedestrian three saves.
Referee Jozef Batko was busy in the first half, pulling out three yellow cards in the opening 45 minutes.
Both teams played an aggressive first half, with Chivas holding a slight edge in shots on goal and scoring chances.
De Rosario, Pat Ianni and Stuart Holden were each given a yellow card for a reckless foul and Chivas USA's Sacha Kljestan got the lone card for his team in the 13th minute for tangling with Ianni.
Franco Caraccio had the first good look at the net for the Dynamo in the game's opening minute, but his chance was snuffed out by Guzan. Chivas USA who had two shots on goal in the first half to the Dynamo's one.
Maykel Galindo nearly scored in the 17th minute when he got a little space and fired a shot on net. It looked like he beat Onstad for a great goal, but his shot missed the near post.
A minute later Galindo had another chance after taking a short pass from just outside the box. But his shot from a bad angle was smothered by Onstad, who had stretched out just enough to his right to keep the ball from rolling into the net.
Ante Razov had the only other shot on goal in the first half when his free kick in the 24th minute was stopped by Onstad. Razov sent a nice bending effort toward the net, but Onstad read the play and kept the match scoreless.
Andrew J. Ferraro is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
