Houston fails to convert chances in loss
Dynamo unraveled by Pachuca's stout defending, soft goal
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"If we get a goal, it might have put us over the top," said Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear. "I thought we were very good in the first half and chasing the game in the second. We played well, and spent a lot of time in their half, but the final pass in the last 25-30 yards was letting us down."
In the first half, the Dynamo came close to scoring on multiple occasions, but were kept at bay by Pachuca 'keeper Miguel Calero. In the 14th minute, a Brad Davis cross almost found Brian Mullan open on the doorstep of the goal, but Calero got the slightest of touches on the ball, throwing off Mullan's chance just enough.
In the 27th minute, Mullan and Ricardo Clark both had good shots from distance saved well by Calero. However, it was Mullan's attempt in first-half stoppage time that came the closest for the Dynamo. He received the ball 35 yards out and ripped his shot from distance, but the ball went off the post.
Unfortunately for the Dynamo, Pachuca converted one of their chances. In the 23rd minute, a Juan Carlos Rojas cross was chested down in the box by Edgar Benitez and slotted past Dynamo 'keeper Pat Onstad to give Pachuca a lead that it would never relinquish.
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Kinnear was disappointed in his team's defending on the goal.
"It was in between Brian Mullan and Geoff Cameron and it's a ball we should attack better," said Kinnear. "They shouldn't be able to chest trap 12 yards out from your goal from a 40-yard cross. Good goal by them, but soft goal given up by us."
The goal would be all that Pachuca would need as Houston continued to push yet miss equalizers, only to leave itself stretched and exposed for a counter.
In the 55th minute, Dynamo forward Dominic Oduro had a header from point blank range but missed both high and wide. In the 61st minute, both Corey Ashe and Brian Ching had shots on goal blocked by Pachuca defenders with Calero well out of position. Clark and Cam Weaver both had headers in the final minutes of the game that they possibly could have done more with.
It also helped that Pachuca brought on some quality off the bench as Jose Francisco Torres and Christian Gimenez came into the game, with the regulars playing well in their stints.
Gimenez nearly doubled Pachuca's lead on two occasions. In the 71st minute, Gimenez drove in on goal but put his shot just wide. In the 80th minute, Gimenez laid a ball off perfectly to Rojas, but his shot went off the post.
"The subs gave our team that spark and dynamic the team needed to finish off the game," said CF Pachuca head coach Guillermo Rivarola.
Kinnear was quick to note that his team's troubles in the final third were partially their own doing, but also a testament to the defending and goalkeeping of the Tuzos.
"I can't say that it's bad luck because they defended well," said Kinnear. "We were just missing that quality in the final third. It was breaking down maybe 12 yards and out and you have to give them credit as they defended well."
With the win, Pachuca guarantees itself advancement out of the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. Rivarola credited his team for that accomplishment and the way his team played on the night.
"I am satisfied with my team's performance tonight," said Rivarola. "The team was smart and was able to dictate the rhythm of the game and that gave us a chance to take home the three points."
With the loss, Houston now must not only win against Isidro Metapan in El Salvador on Oct. 21, but hope that Pachuca can defeat Arabe Unido in Mexico. Anything short of a Pachuca victory and the Dynamo will be eliminated.
"Overall I was happy with the way the guys played," said Kinnear. "[The loss] puts us in a difficult position. We know what we have to do now, go to El Salvador and win and hope that Pachuca beat Arabe Unido."
Dwain Capodice is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
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