Of all the players on the field against Saprissa in Wednesday's 0-0 draw in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, goalie Pat Onstad might have been the most valuable man of the match.
In a sense, the Dynamo achieved one of their goals against the Costa Rican powerhouse. But in the same breath it might be just as easy to say the team failed miserably.
It is true that Onstad played well and kept the Dynamo from falling behind in the first leg of the semifinal series. But the team has to travel to San Jose, Costa Rica next week and will be playing in what is truly a hostile environment. There is no question the team would have liked to left Robertson Stadium with a one- or two-goal advantage.
Onstad made five or six easy saves against Saprissa and kept them off the board when the team needed him most. The scoreless draw gives the team a chance next week and other shutout by the veteran Onstad might not be asking too much.
Either way Onstad expects to come out on top. Even before the first match was played he said the team had a good idea of what needed to be accomplished.
"I think for us, we have to get something out of (Wednesday's game)," said Onstad the day before the match. "Whether that be a win or draw, we have to get something out of it. We don't want to have to come from behind especially with how they are at home.
"I think we have a good team, and I think if we play to the ability we are capable of playing at, we have a good chance of winning."
Onstad is one of the team's vocal leaders and he is able to back that up by being one of the best and most disciplined teammates match after match. He holds himself accountable when mistakes are made and he expects the best out of the other 10 players in front of him.
Last weekend, the team opened league play with a 3-0 loss to the New England Revolution in Foxborough, Mass. Onstad said playing three days later against Saprissa was the best thing that could have happened.
"The best thing I like is that played three days later, so we can try to get it behind us as quick as possible," Onstad said. "It was a terrible result and a pretty poor performance by all 11 guys on the field. I think we'll all raise our hands and say that.
"Hopefully, it's a one-off, and we can put it behind us as quick as possible."
Now the team's attention can fully turn to FC Dallas. Their intrastate rivals will invade Houston for the MLS home opener and the Dynamo know they'll be a target after eliminating the Hoops in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs last season.
Head coach Dominic Kinnear made it very clear the team would not be overlooking the Saprissa match with wandering eyes toward an FC Dallas squad that held on for a 1-1 draw against a visiting Chivas USA squad.
Keeping an open mind and emotions in check are what the Dynamo are all about, Kinnear said. Sunday's match will be a chance to the team to prove that it can finish the scoring chances it failed to convert Wednesday. And it will be a chance for the team to erase the painful memory of a bad match against the Revolution on opening day.
"Everyone wants to talk about (the New England match)," Kinnear said. "Last Saturday is done for me. This team has rebounded well both physically and mentally from results. We don't dwell on victories, we don't dwell on defeats."
From Onstad to the team's top forwards and all the way to the top of the organization, the team wants to improve. After a blowout loss and a tie in their last two matches, it's only upward movement for Sunday afternoon.
Andrew J. Ferraro is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
