Let me just get this out of the way. If your youth are trying to learn the art of defending you may not have wanted them to see this game between the Dynamo and UNAM Pumas. Remarkably, these two teams are at the top or near the top of their respective leagues defensively. But as we all know mistakes and poor defending can make for entertaining games and this one surely was.
Lets not forget that no Mexican League team has scored four goals against UNAM as well as no MLS team has produced four against the Dynamo. Ok all those useless statistics are now out of the way. This game just proves that football can sometimes just not make sense yet entertain.
* PLAIN AND SIMPLE , THIS IS A GOOD RESULT IN MEXICO FOR THE HOUSTON DYNAMO and MLS as a whole. When more resources in the future are put behind MLS teams wins will occur in Mexico and the Concacaf Champions League will ultimately be dominated by MLS teams I believe. Lets not forget the differences in resources and money between these two teams.
* EYE POPPING POOR DEFENDING dominated the night but the flip side is that both teams took advantage and punished each other for their poor alignment and boatland of individual and collective mistakes. The Dynamo back four looked heavy and sluggish yet didn’t get enough protection from it’s midfield.
*GAME CHANGING MOMENT..well it may be hard to even say there was one in this game but go back when the Dynamo were up 2-0 and Stuart Holden laid prone on the field after getting kicked. The pass to Dante Lopez went right through the area that Holden laid injured on the ground. There is a question that UNAM could or should have put the ball out of play in the vein of fair play. It happened so quickly that one even wonders if the UNAM players had the opportunity to even think about it?
*YOUTH is KING! Players like Jeff Cameron, Cory Ashe, Stuart Holden, Kei Kamara have all benefitted greatly from international competition in Concacaf and the Superliga. These players have grown leaps and bounds yet come next year during the expansion draft it will be hard to prevent others from trying to acquire these players.
These international environments have been “golden” for these young players.
*STRENGTH AND POWER clearly was an advantage for the Dynamo and one has to marvel at the strong play of KEI KAMARA who grows game by game. His ability to hold the ball up now beginning to rival Dynamo striker BRIAN CHING. This is a good sign.
*BEAT OVER THE TOP…the DYNAMO were repeatedly beat over the top because of poor pressure on the ball in midfield yet this happened consistently to LOPEZ and even PACO PALENCIA.
*STRIKERS on defensive corner kicks…lets face it , we consistently see forwards back defending set pieces who clearly are just not effective. NATE JACQUA was clearly beaten off a set piece……we see this regularly around the world…
*How about two goal CRAIG WAIBEL, can’t say he was marked particularly well but he took his chances confidently including the 3rd minute opening goal.
*Unfortunately the DYNAMO did not defend or handle their 2-0 lead as one would have liked and in a perfect world would have loved to have made UNAM work much harder and over more time to get their opening goal. In fact the Dynamo when fatigued in the later stages defended better. Insert that last twenty minutes of defending immediately after the Dynamo got the 2-0 lead.
*Both managers brought on attacking talent in the later stages going for the win. Juan Cacho for UNAM and DWAYNE DEROSARIO for Houston.
*Four goals at Olympic Stadium against UNAM,a road draw in group play. This has to be applauded from the Houston Dynamo and even appreciated more due to their heavy, thick schedule of games!
Join me Wednesday night from 7-9 pm on 790thesportsanimal for DYNAMO ALL ACCESS WITH GLENN DAVIS….Manager Dominic Kinnear, Dynamo players and others will join me…..Call in number is 713-212-5790, also DYNAMO tickets will be given away.
We will break this game down and much more………..
Craig Waibel has just unseated the Dos Equis Guy as the Most Interesting Man in the World!
Great result down in Mexico!
Comment by Coach H — September 30, 2008 @ 11:52 pm
Great game. neither of my teams won. my heart is blue and gold but the blood going through it is orange…i wanted pumas to win but hopefully it all works out so they both advance. it was like a parent watching his two sons fight…
Comment by Ramiro — October 1, 2008 @ 12:04 am
im also a pumas fan and admit wanted pumas to win but am actually kind of proud the way dynamo played and werent man handled over there like the other teams.. we’ll see what happens here
Comment by carlos — October 1, 2008 @ 12:10 am
What a game! I thought we could have and probably should have, left Mexico with a win. I guess we have to walk before we can run. In any event it was fun to watch. I thought that Craig Waibel had his most dangerous and productive offensive moments this season in Mexico at exactly the right time. We could not have gotten the tie without him. On the other hand, he was exposed defensively to the tune of 2 goals. That may seem harsh but that’s the way I saw it. I don’t suspect that I am saying anything that Dom hasn’t already considered but, note to Dom: If you put Craig on an island by himself it’s going to end badly. Remember Khano Smith in the MLS Cup. Jeff Cameron, Craig has boots older than you, how about a little help on defense on your side. Glenn, If you hear anything about Stuart pass it along to us. I don’t like the way he limped off the field.
Comment by Larry — October 1, 2008 @ 6:54 am
Glenn,
From this day until the end of humanity, September 30th will be known as:
ST. WAIBEL DAY
We are all fortunate to enjoy such a day!
Comment by Coach H — October 1, 2008 @ 7:30 am
Glenn, you give Pumas too much credit. There is no way they did not see Holden down. I was hoping this one would be different, but my opinion still stands: The Mexican League teams lead all other premier divisions in classless, unsportmanlike conduct…Against my better judgement I was really hoping someone would go off, red card be damned. Waibel’s two goals were nice and I’m a big proponent of his, but he and the defense were quite porous and that ultimately was the difference between a win and a draw. Cameron looked energized, Kei looked unstoppable, Holden - in his brief stint - looked good….The team battled and perservered. Going in I think most of us would have thought this a good result, but seeing it - I know we could have won. Great work, once again proving we have a nice compliment of reserves ready to step up at any time!
I can not wait for the Dynamo’s return to Robertson. Seems like a long time since I’ve been in my seat there!
Comment by O4 — October 1, 2008 @ 8:13 am
Great match!!! I was honestly expecting a different type of game. Usually both teams are very organized in defense and midfield duties…
but yesterday’s game didn’t have any of those…
I agree with the comments about the Dynamo earning the respect of the media, the teams, players and coaches…not just in Mexico by the way…
I heard a comment this morning from Tuca Ferreti saying that “this team is even better than the US men’s national team…”
Of course he was exaggerating but Tuca’s a respected and savvy coach, and even he now feels respect for our Orange…
The officiating was just as horrible as the defense from both teams…but that made up for a goal feast…which is entertaining…
Cameron and Ashe played extremely well against players with much more experience than them and will surely get a lot out of this game…
Some people might give Waibel MOM honors for his two goals but honestly he was beaten in 3 of the 4 Pumas goals…he was very slow and sluggish…so was Barrett…
To me MOM was Kinnear…the halftime talk did wonders as far as calming the team down. Dynamo at that point knew that they could battle with Pumas anytime and there was no point in risking more, and surely Dom sent them forward to get the result and then buckle down…Im seeing more and more experience gained everytime we play a big mexican club…
All in all a great match and a great result for the orange…
O4, I know what you mean…we need to have Robertson rocking when the Dynamo come back to Houston…
Shout out to Chuy…come on man…start posting!!!!
Comment by Moises V — October 1, 2008 @ 9:34 am
Glenn,
About the “…differences in resources and money between these two teams…”, I don’t know about Houston Dynamo but I just wanted you to notice that Pumas UNAM is not America or Chivas, Pumas is one of the teams in mexican league which have almost no money to spend in players, and it is well known for making his own players, they don’t have a lot of resources, so I think the difference is not as big as you may think.
Regards,
Comment by Mocte Sandoval — October 1, 2008 @ 11:15 am
what a game! great point on the road. think it would have been a totally different game had holden not gone down. our midfield was dominating a full of confidence until he took those studs (blow the freaking whistle ref). good job boys. go get three in colorado and come back home to the sea of orange.
FOREVER ORANGE
Comment by brent — October 1, 2008 @ 11:52 am
Mocte,
Yes Pumas is not America or Chivas but I can assure you they are on twice the salary cap of 2.3 million dollars that the Dynamo are.
Thanks for the post.
Glenn
Comment by Glenn Davis — October 1, 2008 @ 1:19 pm
I was dissapointed in Dominic Kinnears caoching in the first half. When the Dynamo went up 2-0 they should have dropped into a 4-5-1 and played a counter attacking ball possession game. Kamara could have stayed on but pull Jaqua (beaten badly for 1 goal and should have been on another) and put in Mulrooney for ball control passing and defense. The defense and midfield were way too high. The defensive line was a good 12-15 yards above the peanlty area leaving 35 of 40 yards of space for Puma’s to play the ball into and allow their speedy players to outrun Waibel, Boswell and Robinson to the ball. Overall I thought the tactics were quite naive. Furthermore, it would have required less energy and demand on the Dynamo players playing their 3rd road game in 8 days and at high altitude.
The Dynamo came out in the second half and withdrew further back towards their goal and played more of a possession game and took away the space to Puma’s forwards to run into. The result was limited opportunities too Puma’s in the second half and no goals.
What do you think Glenn?
Comment by Brian — October 1, 2008 @ 2:56 pm