COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Looking to end on a high note after a difficult 2016 campaign, the Houston Dynamo hoped to play the role of spoiler. In their Decision Day contest with the Colorado Rapids, they did just that, thwarting a needed Colorado win for the Supporters' Shield race in an eventual 1-1 draw at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
“I’m glad we kicked the game off today,” Dynamo interim head coach Wade Barrett said postgame. “It seemed like there was a lot of talk this week that the result was a foregone conclusion but they actually make you play the games to see what will happen.”
After an opening quarter-hour in which the Rapids looked the more threatening side, Houston struck first blood. Dynamo forward Mauro Manotas sent the ball across the face of Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard, who parried the effort into the path of Andrew Wenger, who finished the effort to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute.
Colorado had several chances to equalize and finally broke through when Rapids midfielder Shkëlzen Gashi’s low shot found its way past Joe Willis in the second half to equalize.
“I thought it was a back and forth affair,” Barrett continued. “They had some good chances, we had some really good chances too. It was probably a surprise that it finished 1-1.”
Despite this, Barrett remained positive in regard to his team’s form over the final stretch of away games – a stretch in which the Dynamo had gone 2-0-3 away from BBVA Compass Stadium.
“We’ve taken five positive results out of the last five road games, and that’s a difficult thing to do in this league,” he explained. “This is a great team that we played against today. They’ve proven that over the course of the season and they’re difficult to break down. We knew that this was a tall task coming in.”
With the Dynamo’s season concluded, questions remain surrounding Houston as the team heads into the offseason, including whether or not DaMarcus Beasley returns to the club and whether Barrett, a longtime player and assistant at the club, will return as the team’s coach next season, dropping the ‘interim’ title.
“Give us 24 hours to regroup,” Barrett responded. “We’ll get back to Houston and things will get sorted out when we get back.”
Regardless, Barrett acknowledged he has learned a lot on the job in the months since Owen Coyle left the club to join English Championship side Blackburn Rovers and is eager to continue in the role.
“I love this club,” said Barrett. “I’ve put a lot into it and I’m really proud of the work the coaching staff has put in over the past couple of months. Everybody on the staff has pulled together and put in a ton of work, trying to get the most out of the team. That decision will get made, but I do want to thank everyone on the staff for the work they’ve done.”
