When a frantic play is developing, sometimes it’s easiest just to keep things simple. As the Houston Dynamo’s Will Bruin saw the pile up that led to the winning goal Sunday night against D.C. United, that’s what he did.
Watching as Omar Cummings pounced on a D.C. defensive blunder, the Dynamo’s leading scorer just wanted to get in position and hope for a chance.
After some hard and opportunistic work by Cummings, his fellow forward, he collected the ball with nothing but three free yards between him and the goal – and more importantly ending an eight-game winless with a 1-0 victory at BBVA Compass Stadium.
“If I miss that there I probably retire,” the forward told the media. “[I was thinking] get in front of goal and hoping what happens and happened. Just waiting there ready to poach and ready for it to bounce to me. Omar busted his (butt) to get there.”
It all worked out and Bruin scored his 10th all-time goal against the capital club to notch Houston’s first win since May 17.
It was a poacher’s goal but ironically came on a night when the Dynamo dominated the game. Houston created 20 shots, something they’ve done just two other times this season, while holding D.C. to seven.
While Bruin and Cummings combined to dust off the win column, the complete performance was a sight for sore eyes for Houston. Not only was it the club’s first win since May 17, but it was their first shutout since then as well and ends an eight-game streak that saw them concede 21 goals.
“Everything finally came together,” said goalkeeper Tally Hall. “We’ve had it for bits and pieces throughout the season, but that was a 90-minute performance. It’s taken us far too long to get that, and better late than never.”
For all of Houston’s solid play; the full points did ultimately come down to being in the right place at the right time. It’s the type of play that’s gone against them for the past two-and-a-half months, but it was their break Sunday night.
“That’s two months without a win,” Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said. “It gets frustrating because it’s all June and all of July. I think in the end we deserved to win the game. Sometimes it’s just a funny play that gets you.”
After getting three points, Houston are still battling to get back in the playoff race and are currently five points out. But after getting three points, there was a happy feeling for the first time in awhile.
“We’ve been saying it’s time to go and get three points,” Bruin said. “This was as much of a Dynamo win as it is at home, grind them down, control the game and then get a hustle goal. Hopefully it’s the start to get the ball rolling.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
