HOUSTON – Will Bruin is good. And he's only getting better.
On Wednesday, the Houston Dynamo second-year starter added to his growing repuation by doing what all clutch strikers do when their team needs a boost: score goals.
WATCH: Bruin pounces on late equalizer
After a first half when Bruin came up empty handed despite three good looks, the young forward pushed the gas pedal in the final 20 minutes and got two goals to earn Houston a 3-3 draw against Toronto FC and show just how valuable he's become.
“He’s got eight goals in 14 games and that’s a good clip,” Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear said. “His season’s been great so far and hopefully it continues. I think his aggression and runs are the main things helping him right now.”
Bruin, who is now fourth in MLS goals scored and third in shots on goal with 23, produced five shots that threatened the Toronto goal, two of which hit the back of the net. That is the type of performance that has the young striker making a strong case for a position on the All-Star team to face European champions Chelsea on July 25.
Vote Now! Choose your First XI for the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game
“I hope he keeps scoring goals and the more he gets in the box and around the goal the better it is for us,” midfielder Brad Davis said. “It’s great to have a big man like him in the box. I knew last year when he came in he would eventually find his niche and score some goals.”
Ownby making an impression
Houston have another young attacker showing potential in rookie Brian Ownby, the forward-turned-winger who was selected in the first round of this year’s Supplemental Draft. The Viriginia product has provided the Dynamo with energy as the club looks for goals late in games.
“It was great for Brian to come in and he definitely had an effect on the game,” midfielder Adam Moffat said. “He’s fast, he’s dangerous and he was a little different than what we had out there. Credit to him he kept going out and doing what we want to see from him. He’s young and it’s great experience for him.”
Cornering the market
Bobby Boswell got the scoring started in the 20th minute on Wednesday when he drove a Davis corner kick home with an emphatic header. The goal was Houston's fifth from a corner this year, tops in MLS.
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
