It has played out in most cases like we would have thought. Four opening MLS playoff games and only Real Salt Lake produce a win. Oh and by the way thanks to RSL and the Rio Tinto Stadium for at least giving us one environment that truly looked like a “real” soccer environment.
Dynamo at Red Bulls
I am sticking to my prediction that the DYNAMO will make history this year winning a third straight title. Depth, experience, players that play for each other selflessly, a coach that deflects all the success back on to his players plus individuals that can make a difference.
The Dynamo came back to earn the draw in New Jersey via a Kei Kamara goal in the 85th minute. Remember the last two years the Dynamo came back home down a goal to both Chivas USA and FC Dallas. A solid result in New Jersey.
Liked the way that Dwayne DeRosario came to the defense of teammate Nate Jacqua.
Tought to judge performance on astroturf or whatever you want to call it. So all we can do is say a good result for the defending champions.
By the way have we ever seen a good game at Giants Stadium on Astrofake? It is so disheartening….
ADVANTAGE- DYNAMO
RSL 1 Chivas USA 0
The regal bunch score a huge win over Chivas USA and the hottest striker in MLS Yura Movsisyan for the second straight week in MLS produces a scintillating goal in the 90th minute. This goal was a “wonder to the eyes” and a fitting finish to their first ever playoff win. Thanks for a real soccer environment also………Advantage RSL
KC 1 Crew 1
How about the ebb and flow of the playoffs. I didn’t get a real playoff field heading into the stadium tonite for our broadcast on HDNET yet the second half of this game was a roller-coaster of advantage for either club. The Wizards scoring a fantastic counter attack goal after a poor loss of possession from midfielder BRAD EVANS…the counter attack was classic with DAVEY ARNAUD starting it and finishing off the beautiful cross on a diving header right in front of the Wizards fan group…Arnaud had spent time in a local hospital in the morning taking an IV for hydration as he was ill, sure didn’t play like it.
So with the thoughts of getting a second goal and the game stirred up , Herculez Gomez gets controversially ejected and the Wizards now try to get out with a one goal cushion going back to Columbus next weekend.
In stoppage time the entire series turns as Steven Lenhart delivers the tying goal after poor defending and the CREW are now feeling as though they won and Onalfo and company have to figure out how to win game two without Herculez Gomez who was vital in helping them get into the playoffs. This ejection is huge as Onalfo now has to figure out how to replace a key element of his squad. ADVANTAGE-CREW
It will only get better next weekend not only because all four semi-finals are now a one game series essentially but because the stadiums will make MLS look alot better than this opening week of the playoffs.
Lets hear what you have to say……..Again I remind you that the Dynamo are going to win a third straight MLS Cup.
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1) Dynamo scrapped out a result in an ugly game on the turf. Nice goal by Angel but the Dynamo backline (in particular Mulrooney) struggled on the turf and with some positioning. Had a few bad backpasses just like in August.
But the result is all that matters and the Dynamo got the scramble-type goal late to get the tie. A fair result as the Dynamo did have some good stretches of play. We just look less confident on the turf. Osario might have gone to the bunker a little early to try and protect the lead.
Onstad came up with the big saves late when needed. Cepero I thought had a good game in goal for NY and is not the liability I thought he might be.
And although Mullen took a card in defending Mulrooney when he got whacked by Richards, it shows how tight the team is and how the play for each other and that extra togetherness or chip on their shoulder works for them, even if they take silly cards at times.
Stott could have given a ton more cards but showed some good restraint knowing what the mean in the playoffs as they accumulate.
2) The late goal by Kamara is huge because instead of facing 90 minutes of bunker ball at Robertson, NYRB has to come out of the shell to try and get some offense going. Dom needs to consider Waibel or Cameron in at right back, in my opinion.
But a big key is trying to get a first half goal on NYRB to get ahead and look for the kill shot because the longer it stays 1-1, the less the margin for error in case Angel or someone else steals a goal.
3) I caught the second half of the Columbus-KC game and it was pretty intriguing. You could almost feel the Columbus goal coming when KC could not clear it out.
I thought the red card to Gomez was OK. He got knocked down, got ticked, and then took a pretty big late whack at Padula from behind with no intent to play the ball. Could go either way.
I think KC can pull off the upset now if they can find some offense to get a goal on the road.
4) I saw that Chivas were missing Suarez & Eskandarian due to injury, both guys who played vs. Houston last week. You have to wonder why some teams played as many first teamers in the final week with nothing on the line. The Dynamo were fortunate to get out of the Chivas game with no injuries or red cards. Chivas took a pretty big hit from that game.
Very good result considering the conditions. We’re gonna fill Robertson to capacity and lift the boys to victory next Sunday.
Good comments, I agree on Cepero also, I thought he made the plays he needed to make. He will have to deal with alot more in the penalty area at Robertson.
I have to chuckle with those that try to convince the field in KC at the Community America Ball Park is the proper size. Yet despite the small nature of the field, Guillermo Barros Schelotto was excellent, found alot of the ball and was dangerous.
Houston are product Davey Arnaud was super for KC ….
Ugly games in NY and New England.
It was sad to see only 5000+ Revolution fans at a playoff game.
The NY fans were not any better…only 11,000? Do you think this will improve with the new stadium?
You are right about the enviroment at the Rio Tinto stadium, but I was expecting a sold out crowd and they fell short by about 5000…
This makes me wonder if the MLS is doing well?
We had a good result in NY and need to finish the job next Sunday.
As long as we take care of Angel, we will be OK…
What are your thoughts about Ljungberg going to Seattle?
On a differnt note, I have Direct TV and I have the Dynamo Report set to automatically record but if the program guide does not properly list the Dynamo Report, the show doesn’t get recorded. Therefore I missed the show last Friday. I don’t know if this is a Direct TV issue or a Channel 55 issue. If the scheduling is not listed correctly in the digital guide, the show won’t be automatically recorded.
I was thrilled with the results on fake grass. I was afraid of injuries and red cards! (Knees and ankles do not do well on fake stuff.) Neither (I think) happened. I am impressed with the ref being VERY conservative with the cards but sometimes TOO conservative. Still, he was mindful of flashing too many in the play off game.
The amount of fans at these games is discouraging. Where is everyone?? I have my tickets, of course, and hope we the Houston fans fill the whole stadium with orange and noise! Let’s go, Dynamo!
it was hard to watch the game, the dynamo looked dazed and confused all game till DeRo left the game, eddie robinson seems to make the same mistakes game in, mulrooney did a good job with sticking to angel all game, good results rob will be packed, houston is going to show the MLS what a soccer city is all about…go orange!!!
Well I was hoping we would put it out of reach in NY. I suspect that we will see NYRB play for it to go to penalties. I thought that Barrett had a great game against Richards. Richards never imposed his will on the game the way RBNY would have liked him to. I wonder why we never saw Cory. That is his kind of field and it would have been nice to try to turn it into a track meet on the left side, but we will never know. Another preventable goal, but you have to give Angel and A+. Onstad, please never retire. Another game, another game saver. Dynamo go through!
Looked to me that the NY goal was thanks to a very generous turf bounce. On grass Angel would have had to play with his feet, and eventhough Eddie was a step behind it looked like he had closed the space and would have been in position to deflect a shot from the feet of Angel. Bu he was leaning back and there was no way to stop a header. I give the assist on that one to the turf.
I was impressed yet again by Cameron’s ability to change the game…he hadn’t even been on the pitch 2 minutes and had already created two chances for us…
Great footwork for a tall player like him…
I agree on Ashe…that should’ve been the perfect shot for a speedy guy like him…we could’ve added a few more chances with him on the field…
Rico did an excellent job again…of course he was not noticed because he rarely went up front…but he quietly broke lots of chances created by NY’s midfielders…
as Atlante’s Gabriel Pereyra (#10) told Fernando Schwartz from Telefutura, after their game at Robertson:
“Who’s this guy, number 13? He was on me all night! He’s a barbarian!” – it was meant as a compliment by the way he said it…
Good result..and can’t wait for Sunday’s game…
How do NYRB fans watch games on that surface?…………. Oh yeah, they don’t show up. Only a little under 12,000 in attendance? The Dynamo have gotten that on weeknights before. Once again it is up to Houston to show the rest of the nation what home town support looks like. Can’t wait to see everyone loud and proud in orange on Sunday!!
I echo the comments about returning to The Rob w/a draw but this was a poor performance by the Dynamo. It was a classic example of a dominant club playing to the level of their competition. Where did the sudden commitment to “kickball” came from? For a team w/our skill, there was very little possession and buildup because both teams were too busy playing longball. If I want that, I’ll go watch a YMCA coed league.
You equalize a crap (but fast) surface like that by keeping the ball on the deck, moving into space like we did at Chivas, and by making your opponent come and get it. The performance excuse when we go to NY is that we lack speed on a fast pitch but sloths like Van Den Bergh and Wolyniec seem to do okay and Leitch and Goldthwaite aren’t on anyone’s “fastest white guys in MLS” list. So enough of the whining about the carpet. Both sides have to play on it, end of.
We’ll likely do the business at home but it shouldn’t be this close. Take Angel off that team and Klein High School could give them a run.