With high temperatures baking the Pizza Hut Park field at kickoff, it seemed as if FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo wouldn't be able to repeat the seven-goal thriller of a week ago at Robertson Stadium. And while the teams scored only two goals Saturday afternoon, it was still another dramatic finish as Dynamo came back to claim a late 1-1 draw.
Carlos Ruiz scored the lone goal of the first half to give FC Dallas a lead that nearly stood up. But FCD defender Clarence Goodson again found himself snakebitten, heading into his own goal on a corner kick to leave the Hoops with a draw that will be tough to swallow.
Both teams had plenty of chances in the first half with nine total shots and several close calls for both 'keepers.
In the fifth minute, Dynamo playmaker Dwayne De Rosario dispossessed Greg Vanney at midfield and headed straight at goal but the play was broken up by FCD center back Alex Yi.
Ruiz was smothered by Dynamo central defenders Adrian Serioux and Eddie Robinson from the start of the match, with the three exchanging barbs throughout the match. That led to a Ruiz yellow card in the 17th minute when he got his elbow up as he and Robinson challenged for a high ball, then Robinson saw yellow in the 48th.
Ramon Nunez was solid in support of Ruiz, moving the ball well through midfield and creating the chance that led to the Ruiz goal. The young Honduras native took on three Dynamo defenders before trying to cut the ball back -- only for it to deflect off Robinson right in front of goal where Ruiz pounced and sent it past Pat Onstad.
Alejandro Moreno nearly tied the match in the 36th minute. Ricardo Clark hit a long shot that forced a one-handed save from Hoops 'keeper Dario Sala. The ball fell to the feet of Moreno but as he went to shoot Goodson slid in to take the ball away and clear the danger.
Just moments later the Dynamo fans that made the trek north from Houston were caught breathless as De Rosario writhed in pain on the field after taking contact from Nunez on a slide tackle. He was forced to leave with a left ankle sprain, and was replaced by Ryan Cochrane.
In the 41st minute Ruiz nearly struck for his second goal of the match, trapping a Ronnie O'Brien ball off his chest but he couldn't turn and get a shot off.
The Hoops defense was solid in the second half as the Dynamo started to increase the pressure going forward. FCD head coach Colin Clarke also made two defensive substitutionsm bringing in David Wagenfuhr and Aaron Pitchkolan to stifle the Houston attack.
But the tactic backfired on Clarke in the 81st minute as Ronald Cerritos swung in a curling corner kick to the back post that saw Robinson nearly get a head to it -- only to have the ball bounce off the head of Goodson and into the goal, the second own goal of the year charged to Goodson.
Brian Mullan nearly set up the game winner in the 90th minute after beating Wagenfuhr on the end line then sending in a perfect ball into the middle of the area, but to no avail as there wasn't a Dynamo player anywhere close to the ball.
The last gasp for the Hoops came just moments later as O'Brien sent in a great cross right to Drew Moor, who rose above the crowd for a solid header that sailed just over the crossbar.
With the win, Dynamo gained the upper hand in the battle for El Capitan, as the cannon that will be offered to the winner of the season series will be called. But the match could be more costly for Houston, with the injury to De Rosario, as well as one to Serioux, who suffered an apparent broken toe in his left foot.
Scott Joiner is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
