"The better team won"

Well, that was easy.

With most of Chivas USA back home nursing injuries, there was no surprise that the Dynamo got 3 points last night. We knew there'd be goals scored even without Ching and DeRo, but there was the worry that Chivas would get one or two past Caig as well. The surprise was that by halftime we had amassed a 4-nil scoreline (and we could have scored more). The second half saw a more conservative Dynamo come out, but even then we had some great opportunities and Kei Kamara was terribly unlucky to not get his hat trick. It was a great night for the Sierra Leone native (Sierra Leonean?). Could Caraccio have had the same night?

Nate Jaqua also had a big night. I don't know what he did in Austria, but he is twice the player he used to be in the buildup.

Stuart Holden is looking more and more like the franchise player he could be. After a solid Olympic showing, he had a great run and a confident game-winning goal to start things off. He also does so well in the midfield. The Dom has got to find a way to keep Stuie on the field with DeRo, Mullan, and Davis. But where?

And Caig got a shutout, doing well on the three or so dangerous opportunities generated by Chivas, and also not turning otherwise tame Chivas opportunities into dangerous opportunities.

In all, I think the only complaint I have is that The Dom didn't substitute earlier. With a game on Sunday in New Jersey, he could have given some of his tender starters some rest.

As of last Friday, the Dynamo had never scored four goals in one half. As of Wednesday night, the Dynamo have accomplished that feat twice.

And we're only 4 points from the once-distant Supporters' Shield. We have 32 points (as does Chicago), the Crew have 34 points, and the Revs are at the top with 36 points. Can we catch them? That would be a first for the club and would gain us entry into all of the international tournaments of 2009.

Game recap

Another article: Four goals in the first half hasn't happened in the MLS since the Galaxy did it 10 years ago in 1998. Kamara said. "I am playing with -- every game now -- the best players in the league. This is my third year now and I have been around a lot of good players, but now, being around these guys, they are making me better every time I step on the field."

Article focusing on Chivas. Preki, "The better team won, they were sharp from the first minute, and that's the end of that."

Other Quotes.

USMNT
I saw only the last half of the USMNT match in Guatemala. (Game recap.) From what I saw, the US couldn't match Guatemala's passion and zeal. The US couldn't maintain possession for long on the attack and looked flustered on defense. They were lucky to get all three points, which is a fantastic result for the US in a hostile stadium in Central America. The fact that we got a goal off a free kick isn't all that surprising, but the way Guatemala was torching our defense, it was surprising they didn't get a goal (or three) of their own. Tim Howard, MOTM.

Ives has a good recounting of the post-match sentiments. Tim Howard had a few choice words about El Pescadito (or "Peccadillo" as I deem more appropriate).

USSoccerplayers.com has a good summary of the obstacles the USMNT faced off field and how it affected the on field performance. Sometimes the challenge is more than just matching the skill of the opposition.