By the time their fourth goal of the night settled into the back of the net, the Houston Dynamo finally felt like a team capable of striking early, often and enough to cruise to victory.
In their first match of the 2008 SuperLiga tournament, the Dynamo recorded a season-high four goals en route to a 4-0 win over Atlante FC, winners of last year's Apertura in the Mexican First Division.
Stuart Holden scored a career-high two goals, Brian Mullan scored his first goal since June 2007 and Geoff Cameron recorded two assists as the Dynamo improved to 5-0-3 all-time in international competitions played at home.
They are now 2-0-2 at home in SuperLiga matches and will play host to Mexican power CD Guadalajara Tuesday night in the second game for each in Group A play.
Holden's two goals were his first of the season in any competition and his first two scores in just his fifth international game.
If they Dynamo are going to move up in the MLS standings when they resume play later this month, they are going to need clutch scoring from Holden, who until Saturday, has been chastised for many missed opportunities.
"If you look at the last couple of games where we haven't been scoring, we were close," Holden said. "This was overdue to be honest with you and once one went in, they just kept going and that seems to be how it is for us. To put four in the back of the net is a great feeling."
Holden was right to give most of the credit to those that set him up Saturday. Cameron made an outstanding pass on the first goal in the 21st minute, and team captain Wade Barrett led him just enough on the second tally to get Atlante 'keeper Federico Vilar slightly out of position.
"Wade put a really good pass on the ball and at first I did not know if it was for me," Holden said. "I just kind of stuck my foot out a little bit and I got it on the end of it. After it went in the net I started to wonder when the last time that happened. I can't remember the last time that I scored two goals in one game. It was a great feeling."
Even head coach Dominic Kinnear was impressed with the poise and finish of both Barrett and Holden that gave the Dynamo a 3-0 lead in just the 28th minute.
"Some of the goals were really pretty, especially the third one," Kinnear said. "I thought the third goal was really our best one tonight. The guys were really electric coming out of the locker room and I am just really happy to see them score some goals."
But this is a story about the Houston Dynamo, so the news isn't 100 perfect, at least where this year is concerned. Always a squad filled with drama, the team was without striker Brian Ching who missed the game with an abdominal strain.
He is listed as day to day, but it doubtful for Tuesday's match against Chivas de Guadalajara.
That is doubly concerning due to the fact the team will also be without Dwayne De Rosario, who, along with Atlante defender Javier Munoz Mustafa, was ejected in the 44th minute after an altercation by the near sideline.
De Rosario, who gave Houston a 1-0 lead just 20 minutes into the game on a beautiful header on a free kick from Brad Davis, will not to eligible to play Tuesday. De Rosario did not agree with the call by referee Courtney Campbell of Jamaica.
"As a player it is disappointing," De Rosario said. "I wish I would have done something to get sent off. (I got) elbowed in the back of the head and then to get punched in the back of the head, and then one of their (players) tried to head-butt me too. The ref should have handled that situation a lot better."
So the Dynamo will have to hope that Holden and his magic foot are available for what is likely to be a very large crowd at Robertson Stadium Tuesday.
The win against Atlante Saturday broke a five-game winless streak dating back to June 8 when the team beat Toronto FC at home. And their season-high four goals were the most the team scored in any 90-minute game since the team fought off Real Salt Lake last Sept. 8.
Hopefully, Kinnear added, this is the spark the team needed to get on a much-needed roll for not only SuperLiga, but a return to league play as well.
"I just prepared the guys, gave them a little scouting report on Atlante," Kinnear said. "Going in, we made ourselves aware of some of their more dangerous players. I think they just came out and played well. We have had some moments this year, but the play all the way around tonight was excellent."
Andrew J. Ferraro is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
