Tomorrow we face FC Dallas for the third and final time this year. (Game preview.) Each time we've faced them this season, they've been led by a different coach. The dull tactician (with a myopic sense of self-evaluation) Steve Morrow led the "Hoops" to a 3-3 tie at Robertson based on a lousy performance by Tony Caig in our goal, then the interim gaffer Marco Ferruzzi saw his team let victory slip through their fingers as the Dynamo squeezed out a 2-2 tie in Dallas. Now, Schellas Hyndman's first match versus the Orange gives him the chance of winning El Capitan for Dallas for the first time ever.
According to the rules of El Capitan, the Dynamo must win to keep the cannon. A loss gives Dallas the points necessary to win the cannon for the first time; a tie gives Dallas the advantage in away goals (currently 3-2 in their favor, with no chance of us upping our total). Away goals serves as the second tie-breaker when there is no difference in points and no difference in goal differential. Funny how there is no difference in points or in goal differential when we've had only draws so far this series. I wonder what they'd do if both of the previous games had ended 2-2, and tomorrow's match ended 0-0. The tie breakers are as follows:
* goal-differential in the series;
* most road goals in the series; and finally
* most goals scored in the series.
This tie-breaker system would not settle El Capitan's fate with two 2-2 draws and a 0-0 draw. With no other differentiator available, I think the final tie-breaker should be decided by the two head coaches racing the length of the pitch after the final game, with the winner claiming the cannon. We won't have to worry about that this year though; tomorrow's match will decide the victor. I think I'll voice my proposed final tie-breaker for use in future years though...
The Chron talks about the two missing MIO, Robinson and Mulrooney. Both are injured and won't play, although there's a chance Mulrooney could see some minutes.
Since the match will be broadcast on ESPN, the network's website has a preview of the match. The summary of our season: The Dynamo has been stumbling along for most of this campaign, and their 2-2-2 record in their last six matches is a fair reflection of their season. Commentary on Ching: The Hawaiian has always tended to score goals in bunches...But there has always been more to the Dynamo forward's game than just goals, with his hold-up play and passing doing plenty to get Houston's attack going.
Here's an article about former Dynamo, Adrian Serioux, who'll face the Dynamo tomorrow night. I wonder who he'll hack down in this match? Any guesses?
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Based on history, you'd have to say that Stuie will be the first to be hacked by Serioux. He might even be stepped on afterwards
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