Houston Dynamo; a defensive statement game

Playing a man down for 45 plus minutes, the Houston Dynamo made a defensive statement earning a hard fought 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Sunday night.

Toronto FC came to BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday night looking for a road win and an opportunity to climb into the top spot of the MLS Eastern Conference standings instead they got torrential downpours and a rain delayed start till Sunday night.  On Sunday night, Toronto FC came to BBVA Compass Stadium looking for a road win and the opportunity to climb into the top spot of the MLS Eastern Conference standings instead they got a defensive statement game from the Houston Dynamo and a disappointing 1-1 draw.

TFC found out firsthand just how stout the Houston defense can be. Houston with just 21 points in 23 matches this season is the toughest team under interim head coach Wade Barrett in the MLS over the last two months with a goal agaonst average under one.  Sunday’s effort was even more pronounced considering the Houston Dynamo played a man down for the entire second half as Abdoulie Mansally drew a red card with mere seconds left in first half stoppage time.  The veteran defender pulled down Sebastian Giovinco as the two raced for a loose ball just outside the penalty area.

“Red card was the red card,” commented Barrett after the game. “I thought it was a poor play on our part.  We got broken up pretty quick and the result obviously hurts us in the second half.”

Cristain Maidana turned a perfectly weighted pass from Mauro Manotas into an early Houston lead just eight minutes into the game. Manotas, the young Columbian striker in his first regular season MLS start kept the Toronto defense honest as he led the Dynamo in shots with seven including two late that forced TFC keeper Alex Bono into two game saving stops.

TFC found its footing and answered back in the 24th minute as forward Jozy Altidore making his first start since May delivered a punishing top shelf shot off a Giovinco corner to level the game at one. The tally marked the former USWNT forward’s third goal in his last four matches.

Then came the red card and with one fell swoop, Houston was down a man and battling to contain the likes of Giovinco (6 shots, 4 corners, 1 assist), Altidore (1goal, 3 shots including one off the post in the 64th minute) and defender Drew Moor whose header in the 88th minute off TFC’s fifth corner of the match forced Dynamo keeper Joe Willis into what may be the MLS Save of the Week nomination.

A minute later as the TFC (10-7-7) wave of attack continued, Houston Dynamo defender Jalil Anibaba made the play that epitomized the defense on this night and drew high praise from Barrett following the match;

"“Jalil is indispensable.  He’s done a good job in every position we’ve put him in.  He’s had to make changes during the game and he’s been committed to every single thing we’ve asked from him.  He’s in really good form right now. He’s making some really excellent plays.”"

Plays like the one in the 89th minute that saved the match for the houston Dynamo. In an unassuming manner, Anibaba described the play as one in which he saw it developing from his right.  Determined to be in the right spot at the right time, the Dynamo center-back followed the play to the end putting himself in a good spot to make a play if need be and simple as that he did what was expected.

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The Houston Dynamo effort although falling short of the three points the team and the organization crave according to Barrett was an inspiring performance.

“The commitment, the fight that the guys showed.  We all knew at halftime that it was going to be a tough second half. So the commitment that everybody took out onto the field and left out there, I was really pleased with. Everybody put in work helping each other.  I know the guys are craving three points, everybody in the organization is craving three points but I am still inspired by the work the guys put in.”

The draw was the fifth in a row for the two sides at BBVA Compass Stadium snapped Toronto’s four game winning streak.

For Houston (4-10-9), the winless streak extends to six games as the Dynamo prepare for a Friday night match in San Jose.