Despite playing a man down for more than a half, Toronto FC extended its unbeaten streak to four games, all on the road, with a scoreless tie against Houston Dynamo on Sunday night at Robertson Stadium.
The mutual shutout extends Houston's shutout streak to 695 minutes, the longest such streak in MLS history. The previous record was 681 minutes, achieved by the Kansas City Wizards in the 2000 season.
Toronto's defense played well throughout the match, getting bodies between Houston attackers and the goal and executing an effective offside trap that left Dynamo players on the wrong side of the line nine times in the match, including seven in the first half.
In the 13th minute, Dynamo forward Brian Ching was in position to receive a high cross from defender Craig Waibel. Toronto defender Andrew Boyens contested Ching's header, knocking the attacker out of position enough to prevent the attempt from going on goal. Boyens marked Ching throughout the game, limiting the dangerous Dynamo striker to only three shots in the match, none of which were on goal.
Toronto defender Tyrone Marshall stopped another Dynamo attack in the 30th minute, when Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark was pursuing an errant pass back intended for Toronto goalie Srdjan Djekanovic. Clark looked to have a chance to steal the pass and put a shot on goal, but Marshall smartly grabbed Clark outside of the penalty area, drawing the foul but preventing the attacker from capitalizing on what would have been an excellent opportunity.
Toronto went a man down in the 42nd minute, when midfielder Maurice Edu received a red card for a hard foul on Dynamo midfielder Brian Mullan. Edu and Mullan were both attempting to play a ball that had been deflected high in the air by Clark, but Edu arrived a moment too late and collided at full speed with the airborne Mullan, knocking him to the ground and leaving him disoriented for a few minutes.
Mullan returned to finish the half, but Edu's ejection left Toronto short-handed against the potent Dynamo attack.
Toronto's first serious offensive opportunity came in stoppage time of the first half, when forward Collin Samuel shook free from Waibel and hit a low shot towards the far post from the left side. Samuel's shot was well placed, forcing Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad to dive fully extended to his left for the save.
Toronto didn't play like they were a man down in the second half, keeping up steady pressure in the midfield and causing many of Houston's passes to go astray.
In the 54th minute, Toronto midfielder Carl Robinson drew a yellow card for a hard slide into Dynamo midfielder Dwayne De Rosario.
Boyens again frustrated Ching's efforts to get a shot on goal in the 73rd minute. The Dynamo striker received the ball at pace and was streaking straight towards the Toronto goal, but Boyens, running side-by-side with Ching, reached in and poked the ball away before Ching could launch a shot. The home crowd wanted a penalty on the play, as the tackle had taken place inside the box, but there was no whistle from referee Abbey Okulaja.
In the 76th minute, Samuel nearly ended Houston's shutout streak only moments before Dynamo captured the MLS record. Samuel took the ball on the right side deep in Houston territory, and dribbled around several defenders into the box. Dynamo defender Wade Barrett swept in from behind Samuel before he could position himself to shoot and stripped the ball, ending the threat.
Samuel launched Toronto's final shot of the game in the 79th minute. The forward saw a gap between two defenders from 10 yards outside of the box, and launched a low attempt on goal that Onstad easily collected.
Both teams return to action after a brief All-Star break, as Toronto FC will face the Columbus Crew in Columbus at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 22. Houston will play the New England Revolution at 4 p.m. ET in Gillette Stadium the same day in a rematch of last year's MLS Cup Final.
Lucas Ogden-Davis is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
