D.C. United still have yet to win in Houston after suffering a 1-0 loss to Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium on Wednesday evening in their SuperLiga Group B finale.
With the victory, Dynamo clinched the top spot in the group and assured their spot in the Superliga semifinals, earning the right to host Pachuca in the semifinals on August 15 at 9 p.m. ET.
United, meanwhile, went off to watch the second game of the evening, hoping for Club America to gain at least a tie with Monarcas Morelia. If Morelia wins, United would be eliminated; if United got the result they were looking for, they would travel to Los Angeles to face the Galaxy in their semifinal contest on Aug. 14. (10 p.m. ET)
After a scoreless first half in which the United defense allowed only one shot on goal, Dynamo forward Brian Ching scored the decisive goal only five minutes into the second period. From a goal kick, Nate Jaqua headed the ball over the D.C. backline and Ching ran onto it before putting a high shot over United goalkeeper Troy Perkins' head and into the back corner of the net.
D.C. defender Josh Gros was less than half a step behind Ching on the play, right on his goal-side shoulder. Gros stretched in an attempt to block Ching from getting the shot off, but came up just short as the Houston attacker placed his left-footed strike as he swung his leg across his body to hit the still-bouncing ball.
Gros did an excellent job of shutting down Ching's aerial attack during the match. Several set pieces and crosses resulted in extremely well-placed balls for Ching at the back post, but Gross consistently stepped in front of the striker and used his head to deflect the pass enough to prevent Ching from putting the ball on goal.
United was held scoreless for the third time in the team's past four matches, but not for a lack of effort on the offensive end. United had seven corner kick opportunities and six attempts at goal, including five on target, and many other attempts that were just deflected by Dynamo defenders. The physical Dynamo defense and goalkeeper Zach Wells, along with a bit of bad luck, prevented United from converting any of those chances.
D.C. defender Bobby Boswell literally fell victim to bad luck in the 67th minute. Boswell had slipped behind his defender and was on the receiving end of a cross from Luciano Emilio at the back post, less than 10 feet from the goal line and with nothing but air between himself and the back of the net. Unfortunately, Boswell slipped on a patch of bare dirt on the Robertson Stadium pitch as the ball arrived, giving the Dynamo defense the opportunity to collect and clear the ball.
United's last chance at evening the score came in the 85th minute, after D.C. midfielder Christian Gomez was fouled just outside of the box. Gomez argued that the foul should have resulted in a penalty kick, but referee Baldomero Toledo placed the spot of the foul less than a foot outside, almost on the spot that the arc meets the top of the box.
Gomez, whose earlier free kick attempt in the 58th minute had curved beautifully around the wall and was only stopped by a leaping save from Wells, took the ensuing kick and attempted to bend it over the wall. The shot was deflected and Houston held the ball for the remainder of the match.
Lucas Ogden-Davis is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
