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Houston Dynamo FC

Deric, Barnes Come up Big in Dynamo Victory

October 9, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


Tyler Deric saved Jermaine Defoe's penalty kick and Giles Barnes scored his ninth goal of the season as the Houston Dynamo overcame a red card to capture a 1-0 road win over Toronto FC at BMO Field on Wednesday night.

The Dynamo (39 points; 31 games played) are four points behind the Columbus Crew (43 points; 31 games played) for fifth place and the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Every club in the East has three games remaining in the regular season.

Houston will host D.C. United on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The Dynamo, playing their second game in the Eastern time zone in a four-day span, seized a 1-0 lead in the 35th minute. Kofi Sarkodie lofted a pass from the defensive half to Giles Barnes, who settled the ball with his chest and fought past defender Nick Hagglund before driving into the box and striking a low shot underneath Joe Bendik for the game-winning goal.

It was Barnes' ninth goal of the regular season, equaling his MLS career-high from 2013.

It was Sarkodie's fourth assist this year, also matching a career-high set last season.

The goal stood up for the win as the Dynamo defended relentlessly after they were reduced to ten players when defender AJ Cochran was issued a red card in the 55th minute for tugging Toronto FC forward Luke Moore in the penalty area.

After Cochran's dismissal, Defoe stepped to the spot and drove his penalty kick low and to his left, and Deric guessed correctly, diving to the same side for an emphatic save.

It was Deric's first penalty save of his professional career.

The penalty save was one of six saves on the night, many of which were spectacular. Deric finished one save short of his career-high, seven, set in a 2-0 loss at Colorado on Oct. 27, 2012.

The Dynamo first threatened Bendik in the 11th minute, as Barnes collected the ball at midfield and raced all the way into the penalty area and forced a good save from the Toronto goalkeeper, who dove to his left to parry Barnes' shot away.

Five minutes later, Brad Davis and Andrew Driver combined down the left flank and Davis delivered a pinpoint cross for Omar Cummings, who was denied by Bendik from five yards at the near post.

Toronto FC's first clear chance arrived in the 22nd minute, as Defoe snuck in behind the Houston back line and was forced wide by Deric at the edge of the box. Still, Defoe had a clear chance to score, but was denied by DaMarcus Beasley's well-timed tackle at the end line.

Leading 1-0 after Barnes' goal, the Dynamo nearly doubled the lead two minutes after halftime. Driver beat his defender with a hard run to the endline and delivered a quality cross through the six-yard box, where Barnes left if for Davis, whose one-touch shot crashed high off the post.

Seven minutes after Deric stopped Defoe's penalty, the Houston native produced another sensational save, diving to his right to tip Moore's goal bound header off the outside of the post.

Deric's busy night continued in the 69th minute, when he dove to his right to palm a headed cross away from goal and then backpedalled quickly to made a save seconds later.

Dynamo Milestones and notes:

Houston is 4-1-2 (14 points) in its last seven games and 6-3-2 (20 points) over its last 11 games.

The Dynamo have three shutouts in their last four games and five clean sheets in their last 11 games.

It was Davis' 335th career MLS regular-season game to pass Pablo Mastroeni for 10th on the MLS all-time list.

It was also Davis's 293rd career MLS regular-season start to pass Mike Petke and tie Davy Arnaud, Nick Garcia and Jon Busch for 13th on the MLS all-time list.

Andrew Driver played 90 minutes to reach 1,739 minutes this season, surpassing his 2013 total of 1,694 regular-season minutes.

It was Kofi Sarkodie's 102nd career appearance in all competitions with the Dynamo to pass Jermaine Taylor for 18th on the club list.

Next Game: Sunday, Oct. 12, 2 p.m. CT, Houston Dynamo vs. Toronto FC, BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston

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