GAME NIGHT:
DYNAMO 2, FC DALLAS 2
Down a man in the dying stages of the game, an 87th-minute blast off the foot of the Houston Dynamo midfielder Colin Clark saved a result for the home side in a physical 2-2 draw against rival FC Dallas Saturday night.
Down a man since the 73rd minute, the Dynamo looked destined to fall to their in-state rival. However, a sharp through ball from Brad Davis – who notched two assists on the night - to second-half sub Clark changed the result. Clark beat Dallas defender Zach Loyd to the ball and fired a low shot past Kevin Hartman to secure a share of the spoils.
Ugo Ihemelu had scored what looked to be a winner for FCD in the 70th minute, when he found himself free at the edge of the six-yard box. The defender notched his second goal of the year when he deposited a crisp Marvin Chávez corner kick past a diving Tally Hall.
In what looked to be a devastating three-minute stretch, the Dynamo then went down a man when Kofi Sarkodie was sent off for yellow card accumulation when he fouled Brek Shea from behind. Sarkodie’s first yellow came on a 57th-minute foul on Chávez from behind.
The rivals traded goals in the first half. Despite Houston having the possession and passing advantage in the first stanza, FC Dallas drew first blood in the 27th minute, when Andrew Jacobson made the Dynamo pay by heading in a rebounded Fabian Castillo shot from 18 yards out. Castillo pulled up and screamed a 25-yard shot off the crossbar. Hall made a leaping attempt to save Castillo's effort, leaving an open net for Jacobson, who converted a rainbow header for Dallas’ first tally in the game and his first of the year.
Reeling from the goal, Houston responded with a 42nd-minute volley from Cam Weaver to draw even heading into the half. League assist leader Davis added to his splendid 2011 start, picking out an open Weaver at the back of the box. Weaver held up his run and let the Dallas defense push toward goal, presenting a big target for Davis, who set the 6-foot-4 forward up for his skidding shot past Hartman. Weaver’s goal was his fourth of the season – tying him with Will Bruin for the team lead – and ended FCD's 531-minute scoreless streak.
Sarkodie’s yellows were accompanied by cautions for Houston’s Lovel Palmer and FC Dallas’ Zach Loyd. Palmer drew the referee’s ire with a challenge from behind on a streaking Shea in 30th minute, and Loyd drew the caution for a sliding challenge that cut Geoff Cameron down just before the half. Loyd made another questionable challenge that brought Cameron down in the second half but was given a warning, avoiding ejection. Shea was also awarded a yellow in second-half stoppage time for unsporting behavior after he kicked a ball into the stands.
The draw pushes the Dynamo to 15 points ahead of a trip to San Jose next weekend. FC Dallas improve to 22 points and will host the New England Revolution at Pizza Hut Park next Saturday. The second leg of the Texas Derby will take place Sept. 24 at Pizza Hut Park.
FC Dallas (6-3-4) vs. Houston Dynamo (3-4-6)
May 28, 2011 -- Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX
Scoring Summary:
DAL -- Andrew Jacobson 1 (unassisted) 27
HOU -- Cam Weaver 4 (Brad Davis 7) 42
DAL -- Ugo Ihemelu 2 (Marvin Chavez 4) 70
HOU -- Colin Clark 2 (Brad Davis 8, Cam Weaver 1) 87
FC Dallas -- Kevin Hartman, Jackson Goncalves (Jair Benitez 46), Ugo Ihemelu, Bobby
Warshaw, Zach Loyd, Eric Alexander (Milton Rodriguez 64), Daniel
Hernandez, Andrew Jacobson, Brek Shea, Marvin Chavez, Fabian Castillo
(Ricardo Villar 84).
Substitutes Not Used: Eric Avila, Bruno Guarda, Ruben Luna, Chris Seitz.
Houston Dynamo -- Tally Hall, Kofi Sarkodie, Andre Hainault, Jermaine Taylor (Alex Dixon
84), Mike Chabala, Je-Vaughn Watson (Colin Clark 66), Geoff Cameron,
Lovel Palmer, Brad Davis, Cam Weaver, Will Bruin (Koke 75).
Substitutes Not Used: Bobby Boswell, Hunter Freeman, Jason Garey, Tyler Deric.
Misconduct Summary:
HOU -- Lovel Palmer (caution; Reckless Tackle) 30
DAL -- Zach Loyd (caution; Reckless Tackle) 46+
HOU -- Kofi Sarkodie (caution; Tactical Foul) 56
HOU -- Kofi Sarkodie (ejection; Second Caution) 72
DAL -- Brek Shea (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 91+
Referee: Terry Vaughn
Referee's Assistants: George Gansner; Eric Boria
4th Official: Armando Villarreal
Attendance: 16,709
Weather: Clear-and-86 degrees
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
