and eventually, the game.
The loss is the second in a row for the Western Conference-leading Hoops after they had won their three previous games. After Sunday's 2-1 loss, Hoops head coach Steve Morrow was not happy with his team's play.
"We started the game well, possessing and passing the ball well for the first 15 to 20 minutes, and I thought we were by far the better team early on in the game and deserved to be up one (goal)," Morrow said. "And then we stopped passing the ball, gave up possession too easily and allowed them to get a bit of momentum. We started the second half very flat, and we lacked a lot of character and determination. I'm very disappointed."
In the first half, FCD was on fire, getting four shots off with three on goal, including Abe Thompson's goal in the 30th minute. Thompson finished off a nice tic-tac-toe passing movement, getting a pass from Dax McCarty and stroking it past Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad.
But in the second half, that all changed as Houston swiped the momentum with a Ricardo Clark goal in the 51st minute and eventually took the win with a Joseph Ngwenya goal in the 66th minute.
On the game-winning goal, Clark sent Ngwenya free with a pass behind Drew Moor. As the Dynamo forward raced away, the FCD defender held up. Ngwenya raced in alone and slotted the ball under Hoops 'keeper Dario Sala.
"I thought I heard something," Moor said. "Obviously, no excuse, but a slight hesitation, and Ngwenya is a fast guy. I might have given up a bit too much space, but it was a bad goal to give away.
"We came out on them in the first 15 or 20 minutes and got our goal. We were very happy with our first half performance, but we weren't happy with our play in the second half."
Making matters worse for the Hoops was the loss of defender Clarence Goodson, who went out in the 27th minute after he was injured while fighting for possession of a ball with Clark. Bobby Rhine came in for Goodson and played the rest of the match.
"We're not too sure yet (what the injury is)," Morrow said. "He's done something to his hamstring. That happened at a very bad time for us. Clarence has been playing very, very well and that was a very big loss to us. It came at an important time in the game.
"I do (think it affected the defense). It definitely unsettled us. We were defending well at the time (before he went out). Clarence has been a very big part of our backline."
Dallas had a chance to tie in the 78th minute when Arturo Alvarez raced in alone on goal, only to be taken down by Houston 'keeper Pat Onstad just outside the area. Onstad was shown a red card for the act, but it saved the game for Houston as the Hoops couldn't find the back of the net.
"He got my right side," Alvarez said. "I thought I had more time. I was looking to put that in and help the team get a win out of here. But, that happens."
With the loss, FCD falls to 0-4 all-time in Houston. It's not a record the Hoops want to have against their intrastate record.
"Houston is a good team, and they play well at home," Alvarez said. "But, that record doesn't match us at all. I couldn't tell you why that is. I guess we just need to play the full 90 (minutes) next time."
Jeremy Rakes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
