How painful is it to not be able to win in regulation + extra time when you have 25 shots, 14 on goal, to the opponent's 15 shots, 7 on goal! And those 14 on goal don't even count the two off the left post! Arrgh! (Game preview. Game review.)
I've written before that this is not the Dynamo of yesteryear. This one loses to the Revs in a Championship game. This one has ginormous defensive gaffes -- and more than one! -- that allow goals. The usually stalwart Captain Barrett lets a ball drop into the box and doesn't stay with it, thus giving Ralston the ball, the space, the angle, and the first equalizer; while Bobby Boswell, who was B-Swell all match, reverted to BoBo on one play in overtime to give Shalrie Joseph the second equalizer. And that second goal was on a set play; Dynamo-Houston of yesteryear was golden on set plays.
On the other hand, this Dynamo team did other things that were uncharacteristic, like getting 14 shots on goal, taking the first lead in a final, and getting to a non-MLS Cup final in the first place. And how about Ching being the provider, sending in the cross for another player to head for a goal?
This has been the season of ties. Because we settled for yet another draw tonight, we had to go to a virtual coin flip to determine who gets to pick up the trophy. PKs are always a gamble. Excellent kick by The Waibel to set the tone. I had a bad feeling about DeRo (he seemed off all night, despite the countless opportunities he had on goal) and that proved correct. I then was hoping Ching would (1) not do the stutter step and (2) change his routine by shooting to the left. Well, he didn't do the stutter, but he went to the right, just like the last time he faced Reis. Onstad gave his side the saves they needed to win, only his buddies couldn't get the ball into the net every time. Just like in the game.
Can't complain about the PK result though. Those are really just crapshoots. I really can't complain about the offensive production either. We should have had more goals, sure; but if you said before the game that we'd get 2 past Reis, I'd take that straight up. My complaint is really with the lapses that gave the Revs their two goals. It should never have gone to PKs.
Take away the awful gifts by the defenses and we win 1-0 in overtime. As it is, we do continue the traditions of yesteryear by not winning a non-MLS Cup trophy. After ending our chances with the Pan-Pacific Cup, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Open Cup, and the SuperLiga Cup, and drawing our way out of contention for the Supporters' Shield (my favorite of the awards), only the MLS Cup remains. Frankly, that's the most important one as that's the only one that gives us the unprecented "three-peat". It's also the one that gives one an automatic berth into all of the tournaments that add spice to the season.
But maybe, just maybe, this is the season where we learn what it's like to be a true supporter of a soccer club. Instead of rating the team based on the awards won and the accolades bestowed by the soccer literati; maybe this is the season where we appreciate the team for what it is: a solid, hard-working, talented team that plays an attractive style of soccer, with players that give their all for us each match. And maybe next year we get to see how the team fares when it has only MLS league games to squeeze into the schedule.
Maybe. But I'm not sure I'm mature enough for that sort of character growth, so let's just get the three-peat, 'kay? We can deal with not getting the MLS Cup in some future season when we've gotten something else, say a CONCACAF Champions League Cup or at least an Open Cup. We need the MLS Cup this season. Grab the unprecedented three-peat, then we'll negotiate on what trophies must be earned next season...
Go DYNAMO!
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4 comments:
Nice emotional summary. You're right this is where true supporters step up.
I thought they played well bar the two defensive slips. I'm not completely convinced about Kamara but I'll give him time since he's only just joined the squad.
Was it us (Mackey and I) or did you think that the trophy presentation was a little, how do I put this, subdued? The Revs did not look like a team that had just won a cup.
And how odd was it to see them all walking around in Orange? Was that part of the "agreement" as well?
It was a frustrating game, but a very exciting one. Props to Kinnear on his mid-season acquisitions. Both of our goals came from the newbies: Kamara and Jaqua.
What was the sign that Kamara held up after his goal? "Toros #3 JT - We will miss you"?
MG,
It looks like the shirt swap was planned. Frank Dell'Apa talks about that here. He also states that the Dynamo players were hoping to talk to management, but we all know that they had done more than that and had come to a resolution before the MLS quashed the deal.
O-horn,
Good catch on the fact that the newbies were the ones to netted the goals. I hadn't made that connection. I wonder if B-Fall or the Dynamo Blog will post the meaning behind Kei's msg.
This game is just another example of how the dynamo are mediocre this season. There offense can't score when it needs to and there defense looses focus too much. They had better fix at least the defense if they want the 3peat you mention.
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