As it has been much of the season, the Houston Dynamo ended 2014 as their own worst enemy. In control of a one goal game against the Chicago Fire for over an hour, the club conceded a penalty kick in the 66th minute that Jeff Larentowicz easily converted.
From there it was an all-too-familiar script. Houston conceded the ball and eventually a textbook example of crossing and finishing in stoppage time from Grant Ward to Florent Sinama-Pongolle that turned a promising game into a disappointing 2-1 loss to punctuate their season.
“I’m going to go back to the old saying, ‘goals change games,’ you know, they got the penalty, and the game swung towards them a little bit,” said forward Giles Barnes. “I don’t think we recovered for 10, 15 minutes after that. It kind of stuck with them. We were just trying to ride the pressure, but they got a decent goal at the end. Kind of snuffed the wind out of our sails.”
Larentowicz’s penalty kick certainly swung the game.
Houston was strong out of the gates before succumbing in the end. Omar Cummings was a menace using his speed, and scoring a beautiful header in the 18th minute, as he led an attack that fired eight of nine shots on goal in the first half. In fact, if not for three sublime saves from opposing goalkeeper Sean Johnson, the club would have led by multiple goals at the half.
“I thought we played pretty good. We should have been up at halftime by more than one goal, and that’s what came back to bite us in the second half,” said head coach Dominic Kinnear, who coached his final game for the club. “We were breaking well, we were getting behind the defense well, and in the second half, we weren’t getting that possession that led us to those chances.”
Friday’s sour result ends a season mired by injuries, poor play and missing the playoffs. Adding to the struggles was news breaking two weeks ago of Kinnear’s pending departure to the San Jose Earthquakes.
“As soon as we were knocked out, and found out Dom was leaving, we have been kind of focused on that, to be totally honest,” said team captain Brad Davis. “I wish it wasn’t announced to the end of the year, but it is what it is. It’s been a difficult situation to try to manage, and handle.
“I think the guys have tried to do their best and gone out there and been great professionals. I am proud of the team for that,” Davis continued. “Once we didn’t make the playoffs, finding out about Dom and trying to move forward, it’s been tough on the group. We are trying to get through it.”
Now, the club can turn their focus fully to next season. The new post of general manager needs to be filled and a search for the club’s second head coach is currently underway. Their mission: make nights like Friday less common in 2015.
“It’s up to the people above us for everyone that’s on [contract] options and who they keep,” Barnes said. “So it’s going to be an interesting offseason but I am sure we will bounce back.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
