It was a turn back the clock night at the Estadio Custcatlan for the Houston Dynamo, who notched a 3-1 win over CD FAS in their 2012 CONCACAF Champions League opener in San Salvador.
Trotting out the 4-4-2 for the first time since June, head coach Dominic Kinnear got exactly as he wanted as his team thumped home three headers to tie CD Olimpia – who have a 3-0 win over FAS already in the books - atop their group
The first two goals were crossing and finishing 101 as the Dynamo, who started just two first-teamers in Bobby Boswell and Adam Moffat, exploited space on the flanks to serve balls up to towering center forwards Brian Ching and Cam Weaver.
OPTA CHALKBOARD: Return to the 4-4-2 pays dividends for Dynamo
It was Ching who got on the board first, heading home in the 12th minute after some nifty combination play on the left side. Interplay between Je-Vaughn Watson, Colin Clark and Warren Creavalle gave Clark plenty of time to chip to an unmarked Ching, and the Dynamo captain parked it in the net for his sixth continental tally.
After some back and forth play Weaver doubled Houston’s lead in the 19th minute, this time on service coming from the opposite side. Watson was once again involved, springing right back Kofi Sarkodie to cross unimpeded for a waiting Weaver. FAS goalkeeper Luis Contreras had no chance as his team went 2-0 down.
While Houston had the better of the play FAS did not sit by idly and allow the visitors to nurse their lead.
Led by Alexander Larin, an exciting 20-year-old left midfielder, FAS pushed the game and took their chances. In the first half the hosts took eight shots. But the difference between the teams was finishing as 7 of those shots never came close to testing Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric.
FAS came out with life in the second half, once again led by Larin. Within the first 12 minutes he had two well taken chances, the first from 25-yards smothered by a diving Deric and the second flashing just wide of the far post.
But it was Houston who got the third goal of the game, this time with Watson – again unmarked – heading home a Nathan Sturgis corner from six yards out.
FAS were able to pull one back thanks to an immediate spark from their leading league goal scorer Jonathan Aguila. The second half sub took advantage of a failed clearance by the Dynamo and converted on a back to goal flick to make it 3-1.
That’s how it would finish despite an onslaught of FAS pressure down the stretch as they finished the night with 22 shots.
Houston return to MLS play Saturday when they host Toronto FC, then travel to Honduras to take on group co-leaders CD Olimpia August 30.
MLSsoccer.com Men of the Match
Rank |
Player |
What We Saw |
1 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/je-vaughn-watson"><span style="font-size:12px;">Je-Vaugh Watson</span></a> |
Was he perfect in his decision-making? Not by a long shot. But he got one goal and played a big part in two others, so you can't knock it. |
2 |
<a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/bobby-boswell"><span style="font-size:12px;">Bobby Boswell</span></a> |
Marshalled an inexperienced backline well, and made several timely interventions himself. Kept Deric from being too busy. |
3 |
<span style="font-size:12px;">Jonathan Aguila</span> |
Coming soon to an MLS team near you, perhaps? Youngster was calm, measured and dangerous when the rest of his team was lamentably sloppy. |
