MLS Toronto FC

Toronto FC and Dynamo settle with a draw

Published on July 18, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Toronto FC News Release


TORONTO -- Toronto FC had to settle for a single point after allowing a second-half equalizer in a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field. The Reds drew first blood when Dwayne De Rosario converted in the 37th minute and held Houston without a shot on goal until well into the second half. But the Dynamo capitalized on one of their few chances when Bobby Boswell knocked in his own rebound in the 75th minute.

TFC was denied their fifth win in six games, though the point temporarily moved Toronto into first place in the Eastern Conference pending the evening's other results.

As for the Dynamo, the draw ensured that they would leave the weekend's play still in possession of first place overall in Major League Soccer. The draw was a welcome result for a road-weary team playing its sixth consecutive away match. Houston has lost just two of its last 17 matches in all competitions (12-2-3)

TFC interim head coach Chris Cummins fielded the same starting XI that picked up a 3-1 win in San Jose last Saturday. O'Brian White, the fourth overall pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, was listed amongst the reserves for the second consecutive home game, as the young striker gets closer to making his professional debut after suffering an ACL injury last October.

Boswell and Geoff Cameron were back in the lineup for Houston after missing last week's match against Seattle due to suspensions for yellow card accumulation. The duo stepped in for injured defender Richard Mulrooney and flu-stricken midfielder Brad Davis. The absence of Davis (plus Brian Ching and Stuart Holden's continued work at the CONCACAF Gold Cup) meant that Houston was playing the match without three of its top four scorers.

The one leading scorer who was in attendance, striker Kei Kamara, got the first challenge of the game in the fourth minute when he picked up an Adrian Serioux turnover and fired a hard shot to the right of the TFC net. The Dynamo had an even better chance in the 12th minute when Cameron found some room in the Toronto penalty area and launched a curving shot that beat Stefan Frei but bounced off the crossbar.

The Reds had a close call of their own in the 20th minute when a beautiful passing play came up short. Pablo Vitti and Amado Guevara displayed some class footwork on a tic-tac-toe passing play that gave Vitti a final touch that went just wide.

Vitti was involved in another good TFC chance in the 29th minute. The striker put a long ball through to reigning MLS Player Of The Week Chad Barrett, who found a bit of room amidst double coverage when a Dynamo defender fell down. Barrett was able to get off a shot that flew over the net.

Toronto was forced to make an early substitution in the 36th minute. Serioux and Houston striker Dominic Oduro collided at midfield as both were pursuing a loose ball. Both men were shaken up, but only Oduro was able to continue as Serioux left the match with a knee contusion. Forward Danny Dichio entered the game in Serioux's place, which shifted Vitti to midfield and Jim Brennan to the back line.

The unplanned insertion didn't seem to faze the Reds, as they opened the scoring just a minute later. Marvell Wynne sent a ball through from the right side to De Rosario after a masterful Dichio dummy, and De Rosario fired a strike past Onstad to give TFC the early lead.

The goal was De Rosario's sixth of the year, moving him into the team lead ahead of Guevara. It was also De Rosario's first career goal against his old team, with whom he played with from 2006 through 2008.

De Rosario's goal was a good omen for TFC as the two sides headed into the halftime break. Toronto entered the match with an unbeaten record (6-0-1) this season when scoring the first goal. Houston, conversely, was 1-6-3 when allowing first blood.

TFC almost added to their lead early in the second half, when Barrett got his head on the ball in the midst of a scrum in front of the Houston net, and directed a shot into Onstad's chest. Three minutes later, a De Rosario cross found Dichio in front of the net, but the big forward's shot sailed over the crossbar.

The Dynamo's first shot on goal didn't come until the 59th minute. Oduro made a run up the middle of the field into the box and managed a shot despite being closely marked by two TFC defenders. Frei was in position to easily handle the attempt.

Houston's attacking woes didn't leave Onstad much room for error, especially in the face of constant pressure from the Reds. Barrett had a near breakaway in the 63rd minute that the Dynamo 'keeper fell down to block, and Boswell cleared the rebound out of the goalmouth before Barrett could recover. Another chance came a minute later on a close-range effort from De Rosario.

The Dynamo finally came to life with the tying goal in the 75th minute. Following a free kick, Cameron kept the play alive with a nice cross from outside the area that found Boswell alone on the right side. Boswell's initial header was stopped by Frei, but the Houston defender poked in the rebound for the equalizer.

It was the first goal of the season for Boswell in league play. The defender also scored against Atlante in CONCACAF Champions League action in February, and against Charleston in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal on July 8.

Suddenly it was TFC that was looking a bit out of sorts, as Houston held the advantage for much of the next five minutes. But the Reds regrouped and nearly went back ahead in the 85th minute when a free kick was almost knocked in by a sliding Nana Attakora.

Toronto had one final chance to try and salvage a victory. In stoppage time, the Reds were awarded a free kick in front of the penalty area following a foul on Dichio. Guevara took a shot that made it cleanly over the wall, but it also flew over the net.

The Reds welcome Argentinean powerhouse River Plate to BMO Field for a friendly on Wednesday before traveling to Columbus on Saturday to face the Crew in a key Eastern Conference matchup. The Dynamo head to Seattle for a U.S. Open Cup semifinal on Tuesday against Sounders FC, and they finally go home for a league game against New England on Saturday.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 18, 2009


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