When Pat Onstad took out FC Dallas striker Arturo Alvarez late in Sunday's game, the Houston Dynamo goalkeeper earned himself a red card and an automatic one-game suspension.
Zach Wells took the reins for the final 12 minutes of Sunday's game, and it's Wells who will get his first start in goal in a league game with Dynamo on Thursday against Colorado.
Wells, who has played for the MetroStars during his four-year stint in the MLS, made three appearances earlier this season in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, backstopping victories against Puntarenas and Pachuca with two shutouts.
"It gives me the confidence that I have done it before, and I shouldn't have a problem to step in and do it again," said Wells. "I've been in the league for four years now, so I've seen a lot of soccer. I saw Pat succeed and win a championship with this team last year. I've had good leadership in front of me and good role models. Nothing has changed for me this week."
Onstad, who was called up to the Canadian national team for its CONCACAF Gold Cup opener against Costa Rica on Wednesday after Canadian goalkeeper Joshua Wagenaar suffered a back injury in practice, was sent off in the 78th minute of Sunday's game. Wells entered with a 2-1 lead and finished the remainder of the match seeing one shot.
Wells said he was ready when called upon.
"I was pretty excited to get to play," Wells said. "It was the right decision by (Pat). Maybe a goal could have came from it. It preserved the win for us. I didn't have to do much, while I was in there except defend with 10 men."
The change in goal is nothing that Dynamo are worried about.
"He's got experience," said midfielder Corey Ashe. "He used to start for the MetroStars. Overall, he's a great 'keeper. It's unfortunate we're missing Pat, but I think he can step in and do the job. He's very vocal and very passionate. The team has a lot of confidence in him, and I think that will definitely help."
Wells, 26, won five games with two shutouts and a 1.22 goals against average last season in the reserves division. He is 1-1-1 this season in the reserve division for Houston. He was called into camp last year for the U.S. national team and made his international debut on Feb. 19, 2006, playing the last 10 minutes in a 4-0 win against Guatemala.
The past experience gave Wells and his teammates confidence when Wells was in goal.
"The games earlier this year helped him," said defender Craig Waibel. "Not only for his confidence, but for our confidence on the field in front of him. We don't expect much of a change. He's worked with Pat a lot this year, and he sees how Pat works. He's learned a lot from Pat. He's good in his own right, so I don't expect anything less than what Pat brings us and that's great quality and Zach will bring us the same."
Onstad is expected to play only one game for Canada and return to the Orange for Sunday's game at Columbus.
But, for Thursday, head coach Dominic Kinnear has complete faith in Wells and after Onstad was sent off Sunday, Kinnear said he knew Wells was ready.
"He's fine. He had a great run in the CONCACAF (Cup)," Kinnear said. "He played great each game. Even when Pat got sent off on Sunday it was like, 'OK, Zach, go ahead,' because you know he's prepared and focused and pays attention. He's a good goalie."
Jeremy Rakes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
