The Dynamo got a valuable 5-1 win over a poor Arabe Unido last night which now sets up a classic encounter with Pachuca of Mexico next Wednesday at Robertson Stadium.
This will be one of the “can’t miss” games of the year against the “Tuzos”.
Scoring summary:

HOU Eddie Robinson 11 (dropped ball by Arabe Unido goalkeeper and Robinson accepts the gift)
HOU Cam Weaver 50 (Ashe getting in a good cross to the back post and Weaver feasts on the delivery)
ARABE Orlando Rodriguez 69 (Rodriguez gets behind the Dynamo defense and seems to make this a game at 2-1)
HOU Cory Ashe 70 ( instant response from Ashe and the Dynamo squashes thoughts of a come-back)
HOU Stuart Holden 74 (Mullan delivery and diving header from Holden)
HOU Stuart Holden 92 (simple tap in after unselfish play from Abe Thompson Arabe has quit playing)

The Dynamo produce a solid performance and this game changed after Omar Camargo was ejected in the 56th minute for a blatant elbow to the face of Cam Weaver. He was the same player that was sent off in Panama. The Panamanians brought some reckless tackles but were far more tame then at home and fortunately for the Dynamo it seems they have come out of this one unscathed and achieving some positive goals under Dominic Kinnear other than just the scoreline:

*Eddie Robinson got valuable minutes and one wonders what his ultimate contribution could be…good news.
* Abe Thompson debuted coming from KC
* Playing time was shared as in the case of Brad Davis and Stuart Holden who split time at attacking midfield.
* Possession game was improved and maybe Arabe Unido was the perfect potion for this time of the year.

Give me your thoughts on the game and were you one of the smattering of hardcore fans that attended the match?

VILLAREAL vs. REAL MADRID
New Galactico’s manager Manuel Pellegrini returns to take on his former club (2:00 ET), Rapids host San Jose tonite on Direct Kick or Match Center .

ARGENTINE FA have decided to bring their World Cup qualifier back to River Plate’s Monumental. The squad struggling under Diego Maradona will teak on Peru in a huge World Cup qualifier….Zlatan Imbrahimovic of Barcelona injured his ankle in yesterday’s 4-1 win over Racing Santander. He could miss their upcoming match……..After another step up for Luis Landin in MLS league play it is unfortunate in some ways for him the club does not have an MLS game this weekend. Landin is not available to play in Concacaf after performing for Cruz Azul so is not eligible next week for the game against Pachuca. He will go two weeks without a game…….So what Dynamo player will be most impactful during the stretch run?

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This fan is hilarious in Russia…not a bad penalty either………..For the first time in MLS’s 14 year history the MLS Cup Final will be aired on cable as opposed to broadcast tv .
The November 22nd MLS Cup final from the Qwest Field in Seattle at 8:30 pm will go head to head with Sunday night football on NBC. The Sunday evening time slot was not available on ABC due to the popular Extreme Makeover and Desperate Housewives.
The move from MLS allows the game to be played later in the day.
What do you think of the move?

Dynamo All Access with Glenn Davis tonite from 7-9pm prior to the Dynamo vs. Arabe Unido Champions League match.
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Can you make this stuff up?
Apparently Diego Maradona was resting in an Alpine Resort near Rome in the Grand Hotel Palace in Merano , most likely devising a master plan for Argentina to get in the World Cup when tax authorities made a visit. Apparently after winning two Serie A titles with Napoli back in the day Maradona left an upaid tax bill of $54 million . I find that number hard to believe but this has been reported by the Italian news agency ANSA.
The Bolzano Provincial Tax Police confiscated a pair of Diego’s earrings worth $5900.
Yes Argentina this is your national team manager.

RUUD injured again

Ruud van Nistlerooy returned to action against Xerez and produced a goal for Real Madrid in a 5-0 win but apparently injured his thigh. After his goal you could see him reach for his thigh so the injury may have occurred when he scored. I once sat in a room of about 15 journalists in Berlin interviewing him and found him engaging.
He is now expected to be out for 6 weeks after an MRI.

BARCELONA vs. RACING SANTANDER today ….
So if you are near a good pub or computer today you can catch Barca against Racing Santander in La Liga action.
Tomorrow Real Madrid visit El Madrigal if you heart desires the Galacticos.

BOCA poor results mirrors the Argentine national team…..
Is there any relation between the poor performances between Boca Jrs and the Argentine national team?
Boca just lost at home to Godoy Cruz on Sunday and are in 13th place in the Apertura while being eliminated last week in the Copa Sudamerica which is equivalent to the Europa League in European which was once the UEFA Cup. Boca has lost three games in a row.

So let me gauge your interest on tonite’s Dynamo vs. Arabe Unido match? After the debacle in Panama one might think this could be interesting tonite. A late start time will virtually assure a small crowd and my assumption is that this is for tv. Lets also face the facts that nobody knows who Arabe Unido or teams like Metapan are with all due respect.
I am interested to see the effect of weather tonite plus if the Dynamo will platform off their play in the final 20 minutes against RSL. Brad Davis who hit the brilliant game winner was the player of the week in MLS!!! Another hats off to Davis for creating Brad’s Brigade to honor those who serve in the military and their families. My nephew is out of Marine Boot Camp and now at Camp Pendleton in California and I can assure you that it effects a family.
The Dynamo need to get a win tonite to stay on course to advance in Concacaf. Let me know if you are going or not to the game tonite? Why or why not?

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This one had it all and all I can say is I hope you were able to watch it!
The Manchester Derby (152nd meeting) between United and City was scintillating!
From a stunning start through an early Wayne Rooney goal, to Carlos Tevez returning to Old Trafford, goals of quality, monster mistakes, roller coaster lead changes not to mention stoppage time heroics. This one had it all!!
Craig Bellamy scored twice for City while Darren Fletcher hit two in the air for United but just when all seemed to be settled with a share of the spoils, Manchester City fell asleep and the wonderful Ryan Giggs played in Michael Owen who became an instant United legend getting the game winner.
Mark Hughes a former United player and manager of City was begging for the game to end at 3-3 and was vehement that too much additional stoppage time was added.

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It was a strange night at Robertson Stadium yesterday.
What was even stranger is that the Dynamo produced two goals in the first five minutes of the game of dead-ball situations.

Goal #1 Brad Davis puts in delivery off a free kick and Nat Borchers must be asleep and fails to attack the ball and Brian Ching gets a leg around him to spear it in.
1-0 Houston Dynamo

Goal #2 The second goal in five minutes comes off a corner from Davis, Ching gets in front of Borchers at the near post and the ball ultimately is knocked in by Geoff Cameron.
2-0 Dynamo who are sharper in the opening five minutes against RSL who don’t look like they have answered the bell.

Goal 3# A thing of beauty from Real Salt Lake pulling out Dynamo center-back Ryan Cochrane, Williams receives the back-heel from Campos and perfectly weights a pass down the heart of the Dynamo defense to Beckermann who cooly slots it in. Game on, 2-1 as RSL back in it in the 27th minute.

Only five minutes later Colombian defender Jamison Olave gets ejected for the second time this year against the Dynamo. Olave should have known better for the tackle on Brad Davis in front of a referee known for ejecting players, Baldomero Toledo. The game would have number of questionable calls from Toledo and it is redundant that so many MLS games leave fans and others focused on referees after a game. A number of reckless tackles were evident in this game and I cringe at the thought of somebody getting their legs broken based on the lack of ability to control a game.
Jason Kreis who started the match with Robbie Findley, Yura Movsisyan and Javier Morales on the bench (total of 17 goals) seemed to be waiting to use these players in the latter stages. Morales would come on to start the second half while Movsisyan would score a gem of a goal to tie it after turning defender Mike Chabala and hitting the side netting off his left foot beating Pat Onstad.
RSL controlled a majority of of this game with ten men as the Dynamo failed to be able to take advantage of the additional man.
A visibly frustrated Dominic Kinnear could be seen on the bench and the Dynamo continued to make poor decisions on the ball, lacked movement and generally played direct.
The crowd at this point was not convinced yet in the final 20 minutes the Dynamo found their game and it seemed players were actually wanting and demanding the ball.
As RSL began to lose their legs Stuart Holden who had been quiet began to get more of the ball and waves of attacks were met with a Dynamo fan energy that reminded all of past playoff matches.
With the crowd engaged Brad Davis hit an absolute rocket from an angle that beat Nick Rimando and would serve to be the game winner.
Davis on this night was also honoring his charity “Brad’s Brigade’ which gets veterans and their families to Dynamo games and gives them the honor they deserve.
The real question remains to be answered. Will the Dynamo of the final twenty minutes emerge the next time we see them and will we look back at this game as a platform to a run. A much needed win that came at a cost as Brian Ching was sent off after an altercation with Javier Morales.
This was the most frustrated I have seen Brian Ching in his career and I have always admired his ability to walk away from tackles and the physical treatment he has received.
The win is especially important as LA got a 2-0 win over Toronto FC getting a goal and an assist from one David Beckham.

The u18 Dynamo Academy and Texas Rush Academy teams connected with the pro game playing after the Dynamo/ RSL as a part of the U.S. Soccer Academy league . I headed home with the Dynamo Academy looking more organized leading 2-0 in the 68th minute. You can fill in the final 22 minutes for me if you like. An excellent crowd remained on hand especially for the first half of this match.

MANCHESTER CITY at MAN U and CHELSEA vs. SPURS tomorrow in the EPL while Chicago and Columbus connect in a spicy Eastern Conference match. Chicago has returned Brian McBride.

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The play of Brian Mullan and Brad Davis over the years has been instrumental in the success of the Dynamo who play out of a 4-4-2 system.
Getting width at Robertson stadium along with wide players who can beat and get behind defenders in those areas is vital.
In Columbus the Dynamo got sporadic success from Mullan especially at the beginning of the second half when he got in three crosses early after good wide play.
Fundamentally when this part of the Dynamo game is on the benefits are grand as central players like Holden/Clark and Ching/Landin can find more space as interior midfielders and defenders have to come out of the middle.
Against Real Salt Lake and goalkeeper Nick Rimando it is clear that getting in good crosses and delivery today and getting bodies in the penalty area will test his play off his line.
He is having a solid year and is known as an excellent shot stopper.
Real Salt Lake should welcome back Javier Morales and Kyle Beckermann in starting roles tonite and play with a general lone striker (most likely Movsisyan) supported by a pair of players which could come from Robbie Findley (ineffectual against Chicago wide but dangerous as a striker), Javier Morales or the Canadien Will Johnson.
RSL tied Chicago 1-1 coming from behind at home last weekend but could have won it in second half stoppage time when Yura Movsisyan hit a blast off the post.
Wonder how important those additional two points might be to this team.
The interesting thing is here that they may risk more as they need a win vs. the Dynamo based on their current situation sitting on 34 points with 5 games left.

On this day it may be more favorable for them to play a straight 4-4-2 against the Dynamo with Findley alongside Movsisyan.
The two center backs Jamison Olave and Nat Borchers are physical and aggressive and will try and get into the heads of Brian Ching and either Luis Landin , Cam Weaver or Dominic Oduro up front.
Oduro was aggressive at Pachuca, Weaver was hungry at Columbus and the Dynamo need to get Landin untracked. Having not played Wednesday Landin might get the edge and the Dynamo need contribution and adaptation to MLS from their DP.

The Dynamo will be without Ricardo Clark and one wonders how is abscence will be alleviated? One solution will be to push Geoff Cameron into the middle for Clark but that will break up the partnership at center back with Bobby Boswell.
The time is now for both of these teams who played to a 1-1 tie at Robertson back on June 20th and a 0-0 draw at RSL where the Dynamo were outshot 16-3.
RSL may feel they can sneak a win at Robertson with the Dynamo current form not at it’s best.
Expect this to be emotional and aggressive tonite with what is at stake!! What is your take on tonite?

ODURO incident: Dominic Oduro was yellow carded at Pachuca because he was taking off an undershirt beneath his uniform near the sideline. Apparently someone with Pachuca pointed it out and the referee gave him a yellow. Later Oduro would produce a challenge from behind that would get him ejected in the 2-0 loss.

CARLOS TEVEZ to play tomorrow?
You can never tell if this is just fed to the press or if there is real truth to Tevez actually playing for Manchester City against Manchester United. The other thing to note here is that this rumor is being put out there by his agent. Tevez has had a knee problem.

CHIVAS continues to struggle….
One can look back and say that removing Efrain Flores as the manager of Chivas was a huge mistake. Chivas only has 5 points so far in Mexican league play and will play this weekend against Jaguares with another new coach. Raul Arias replaces Francisco Ramirez who was never the right choice in my opinion.
Additionally the troublesome defender Hector Reynoso and Alberto Medina are out through suspension and injury.

***Check out my article in the Houston Chronicle on the U.S. Soccer Academy league which plays around the Dynamo tonite with the Texas Rush Academy taking on the Dynamo Academy. I plan on staying post game at 10 to watch the under 18’s.

*** Texas AM women last night knocked off #2 Portland in College Station. The AM women traditionally get over 3000 fans per game and will host the NCAA Womens College Cup.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: Memorial Hermann Hospital Sports Institute who help to bring you Soccer Matters with Glenn Davis on Fox Sports Houston every Thursday at 5pm and Friday at 3pm.

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A quick a reminder today that SOCCER MATTERS WITH GLENN DAVIS on Fox Sports Houston presented by Memorial Hermann Hermann Hospital Sports Medicine Institute airs at 3pm today. This is a re-air from the original air date of Thursday at 5pm…set your dvr as we want you the soccer fan to support this program!!! Top ten goals, rumors, rants and raves…..Landon Donovan and his importance to soccer in the United States plus interviews with U20 National team player and Dynamo midfielder DANNY CRUZ and RICARDO CLARK………….Let me know what you think of the show and what you want to see!!! Goals last weekend from Jermaine Defoe of Spurs and Samuel Eto’o of Inter Milan will be tough to beat this weekend. Not to mention the Dwayne DeRosario flick to O’brien White…..did you notice how that ball spun off the artificial surface?

The Manchester Derby is this Sunday and sadly for me it has lost some of it’s luster based on the amount of player missing mainly from City.
Of course Emmanuel Adebayor has been suspended for his criminal kicking of Robin Van Persie of Arsenal but look at the list of others who are not available at Old Trafford:
Carlos Tevez, Vincent Kompany, Roque Santa Cruz, Robinho…..some serious football talent not available at Old Trafford which makes this look like a large mountain to climb on Sunday.
United manager Alex Ferguson is having a field day in the press…has called city a “small club with a small mentality not to mention commenting on Carlos Tevez.
“I am not bothered whether Tevez plays or not,” said Ferguson. “Adebayor is their star player, there is not question about that.” Ferguson then went on to say that City are cocky and arrogant after putting a large banner up in Manchester with an image of Tevez after he signed which said “Welcome to Manchester”.
This one should be interesting and emotional on Sunday.

Prediction: Man United 2- Man City 1

On to the Dynamo this weekend against Real Salt Lake. I will weigh in more on this but the implications of every game now are huge.
RSL come in fighting for their lives while the Dynamo have only won 2 of their last 11 in all competitions and are in need of finding their game.
Coming home should be helpful and lets not forget that this is the first of 6 home games so if there ever was a time to find their game it is now.
Something tells me the fans can have a big influence on helping them get their game back!

Having a nephew who just completed basic training and is now at camp Pendelton and a father that is an 84 year old World War 2 Okinawa vet I believe you can’t honor the military men and families enough. BRAD’s BRIGADE will be in action this weekend at Robertson Stadium as Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis brings vets and their families to the game.
Great move from Brad Davis and the Dynamo!!!!

I stand firm on saying that it is the responsibility of the youth community and their adminstrators and schedulers to be forward thinking and scheduling matches with an eye on impacting the youth that play in their leagues. It is a winner all around……youth adminstrators will be hailed as thinking player development and bigger, you help support the Dynamo and the growth of the pro game which all comes back to the youth community!!
I also realize it is a tough job but Sunday afternoon games in October and with the greatest soccer talent ever produced in the U.S. Landon Donovan coming here during one of his best phases with the national team makes me wonder if they are paying attention. Oh and the guy named Beckham is here also.
To show youth players that soccer is meaningful at the pro level in Houston and the U.S. is important.
Two tickets to the first league adminstrator or scheduler who gets mad at me for writing this…….

What does your soccer weekend entail? College game? Youth game? Pro game ? Or all?

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The Columbus Crew defeated Saprissa at Saprissa Stadium in San Jose 1-0 and all I can say is thank you Crew.
What a great result for MLS in a stadium where rarely does anyone get a result. Lets quickly rewind to the U.S. National team loss to Costa Rica 3-1 where the team looked totally out of sync.
The Crew deserve a great round of applause for a result that all that support MLS should be proud of!!!!
Well done Crew!

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Lets not forget last year when international play helped to spike the Dynamo and re-claim their game.
MLS still remains without a win in Mexico where only the Dynamo last year earned a point at Unam Pumas in a 4-4 draw (ironically one of the best games that departed Kei Kamara had in a Dynamo uniform).
The Dynamo were valiant last night with a depleted roster but in the end the quality of Pachuca was too much.
Goals from Edgar Benetiz 26th and Paul Aguilar in the 74th was the difference on a night that Pachuca had 26 shots to the Dynamo’s 9.
The Dynamo were missing Ricardo Clark (asked to remain at home due to children being ill ), Stuart Holden and Cory Ashe.

Star Man: Tally Hall in goal shows us that the Dynamo have stability behind Pat Onstad. Hall made 10 saves. Watching Hall working on his game on a daily basis at Dynamo training it is always nice to see a player take advantage of his opportunity.

Key Moment: Life got difficult when Dominic Oduro was sent off for a late challenge in the first half from behind. One might have questioned the choice. The real problem was that he was apparently carrying a yellow card due to removing his shirt while a teammate lie injured. A big game changing moment here that made the challenge at Pachuca difficult.

Goals: On Edgar Benetiz’s goal he was able to use his body to turn Bobby Boswell while Paul Aguilar was giving too much space at the top of the box for his finish.

Best Chance: How about the Craig Waibel chip that nearly caught Miguel Calero.

Pachuca clearly won all categories of this game and were deserved winners. One has to focus on the comfort and ability that all of their players have on the ball from Chaco Gimenez, Jose Francisco Torres (U.S. National team), Damian Manso, Edgar Benetiz, Juan Carlos Cacho. Not bad either to be able to bring the quality of Damian Alvarez, Luis Montes and Gabriel Caballero off the bench!
Their ability to start and stop, change direction pretty fascinating to watch.

Dynamo next up against Real Salt Lake and this is a big one at Robertson on Saturday night at 7:30 pm. Looking for a great league response from the Dynamo!

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