Dynamic Finish in Columbus

Gaven Leads Columbus to a 2-1 Victory over Houston with a Last-Minute Penalty Kick

By Gary Moody

COLUMBUS, OH-Sunday's match has been called "a clash of titans" and even "a preview of the 2009 MLS Cup". It is easy to see why fans of either club would be excited. This matchup would not disappoint.

Both clubs are at the top of the standings in their respective conferences. The pitch would be full of the best players from Major League Soccer: defenders Chad Marshall and Frankie Hejduk, midfielders Stuart Holden and Robbie Rogers, and forwards Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Brian Ching. These players have not only had success in MLS matches, but in international duty as well.

The Crew are 100% healthy and reported no injuries. The Dynamo have three injuries listed (Richard Mulrooney, Eddie Robinson, and Cam Weaver), but Weaver would start on the substitute bench. Both clubs have seen key players return from international duty.

The physical play from both sides was unquestioned: lots of collisions, pushing and shoving, with fouls and cards along the way. Houston would have some chances early with Luis Angel Landin taking solid shots at the goal in the 14th and 15th minutes. Rogers would take the team on his shoulders in the 21st minute with a great individual effort. Rogers would make a defender miss with a jerky move outside the box and launch a rocket up and over the goal. It is no surprise to see that his time with the national team has sparked his development.

The Crew would hit paydirt in the 34th minute as Frankie Hejduk delivered a header just inside the far post. The ball bounced around the box several times before hitting the back of the net; the goal came from quite a chain of events. It all started with a quick pass from Schelotto to Gino Padula. Padula then launched a volley, intended for Chad Marshall. Marshall, who was dragged down in the box, was unable to reach the pass. Fortunately for the Crew, Hejduk was trailing behind and was able to connect with a header. Hejduk's header came off the deflection of a Houston defender.

The first half was fairly even; no squad could claim superiority over the other. Houston would have an advantage in shots (6), corner kicks (3), but would commit 8 fouls and 3 offsides. Dominic Kinnear would make a significant change in the 58th minute, subbing in Dominic Oduro for Luis Angel Landin. Landin was the Dynamo's marquee signing this season as they signed the Monarcas Morelia and Cruz Azul star as their Designated Player. This would be his first start for the Dynamo; it was clear he was still trying to get his bearings. Kinnear characterized his performance as "okay."

Robbie Rogers would have another streak of brilliance in the 63rd minute, making quite a run at the Dynamo goal. He was able to shed a defender or two along the way, but ultimately his shot was deflected by the Houston defense.

The Crew's Designated Player and fan favorite, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, would take a hard knock from Geoff Cameron and would stay down for almost a minute. No card was issued, but it was clear that the physical play was not about to be dialed down. More collisions would follow as both clubs made a push for the Supporters' Shield.

The 78th minute would show the Dynamo on the attack with perhaps their best opportunity of the night. A popped up header found its way to Brian Ching, who delivered a shot wide left of the goal.

Ching would be part of Houston's goal in the 80th minute as he and Geoff Cameron set up the goal for Cam Weaver. Weaver, who recently recovered from hernia surgery, clearly created a spark for the Dynamo offense when entered the game in the 76th minute. This brought the game to a 1-1 tie even though both squads had more opportunities than the score would suggest.

Some craziness would ensue in the 83rd minute as red cards were issued to the Crew's Adam Moffat and the Dynamo's Ricardo Clark. It wasn't a tragedy as both clubs would be reduced to 10 men; neither side would experience any kind of advantage. Tempers would continue to flare as Brian Ching was given a yellow card just five minutes later for a violent tackle. Will Hesmer was quick to disagree with the official, suggesting that it was a clear red card offense. However, it would a single action that would determine the outcome of the game.

The Crew's Alejandro Moreno was able to break away from the Houston defense and able to make a run toward the opponent's goal. Moreno was pulled down in the middle of the box by Geoff Cameron, resulting in a penalty kick in stoppage time.

Eddie Gaven would take the penalty kick as Schelotto was already subbed out and Moreno was clearly tired from the long run. The game would be decided by this single shot. Gaven would deliver a shot that was soft and down. Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad guessed, but guessed wrong as the ball crossed the line for the victory. Penalty kicks are stressful for any keeper, even one of the most reliable in the league.

A melee would occur in the final minute as Steven Lenhart was taken down in the corner closest to the Crew's most vocal supporters, the Nordecke. It was unclear what happened, but it appeared that objects were thrown on the field. Lenhart and two Houston players emerged from the altercation unscathed, but all received a stern warning from the official. This incident occurred as play continued on the other side of the field with Houston on the attack.

The Crew now look to be the frontrunner for the Supporters' Shield as they added another 3 points to their total. Many were excited about the victory, but it was clear that the Dynamo players and coaches were not happy with how things went. Dominic Kinnear strongly protested the validity of the penalty kick that sealed the victory for Columbus. Kinnear contended that it was not a penalty kick and the referee, not the players determined the outcome of the match. His words were clear: "I saw people running in the box and a guy throw himself on the ground. It happens quite a lot out there. Unfortunately, it gets called too much."

The Crew's schedule doesn't get any easier over the next two weeks. Columbus has to travel to San Jose, Costa Rica for a CONCACAF Champions League match against Saprissa before heading to Toyota Park to face the Chicago Fire on August 20. With two very hostile environments in a week's time, it is going to be a challenging road trip for Columbus.

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