In a game where each team dominated a single half, Houston Dynamo tied the Columbus Crew 1-1 on Tuesday in Robertson Stadium. Sigi Schmid's Crew were a tough opponent and they made the local team suffer at various stages of the match, especially in the second half.
Although this tie allowed Dynamo to get a bit closer to FC Dallas in the Western Conference, it's also a lost golden opportunity to find themselves neck to neck with a Dallas team that fell earlier in the day at home against D.C. United.
Fans had not been seated in the stadium for more than five minutes when forward Brian Ching found the net for Houston Dynamo. The scoring touch of the Hawaiian forward came when the Crew least expected. A cross from the right flank by Brian Mullan found the head of Ching and Columbus Crew goalkeeper Noah Palmer couldn't do anything to stop it.
After the goal, Dynamo kept up their attacking mentality, using the flanks to show the talent of wingers Wade Barrett and Mullan.
The midfield was dominated by Dwayne De Rosario and Ricardo Clark so efficiently that every ball they sent forward was a dangerous play for the Crew defense.
In the 16th minute Alejandro Moreno went up the wing and sent a pass back to Ching, who took the shot that went over the crossbar.
It wasn't until the 20th minute that the visiting team got it first clear chance. Columbus' Ricardo Virtuoso received a pass without a mark and his shoot went wide, missing the right post of Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad.
Holding a one-goal lead and having dominated the first half, Dynamo went to the locker rooms with the tranquility of knowing that if the chances kept coming in the second half like they did in the first 45 minutes this match was a sure victory.
In the second half Dynamo tried to keep control of the match by mantaining the possession of the ball but they found Columbus Crew pressing to recover balls all over the field.
In the 65th minute, Crew forward Joseph Ngwenya was fouled inside the box by defender Eddie Robinson and referee Jair Marrufo didn't think twice to point to the penalty spot.
Eddie Gaven transformed the penalty kick with a powerful and low shoot past Onstad to equalize the game.
With this unexpected goal, Dynamo went into a visible shock with De Rosario and Clark now lost in the midfield and unable to retake control of the game. The Crew, on the other hand, now with control of the ball, tried to look for the second goal.
Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear substituted forward Brian Ching for another forward, Ronald Cerritos, in the 69th minute. This substitution didn't do anything to change the outcome of the match. Both teams relegated back and slowly became comfortable with the point they were getting.
Carlos Mojica is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
