The temperature in Houston was high Sunday night, enough to warrant two drink breaks for the players, and just as high were the stakes for the two teams both struggling to cement themselves in playoff places. In the end, a classic Chris Wondoloski finish was enough to redeem a point for the San Jose Earthquakes on Dominic Kinnear’s return to Houston.
Kenner’s current side came from behind to take a point from his former team in a 1-1 draw at BBVAA Compass Stadium on Sunday.
After conceding on the stroke of halftime, the second half started with one-way traffic directed by the ‘Quakes at the Dynamo goal. A smart lob over the defense found Wondolowski, who evaded the offside trap and scored to end the Dynamo’s longest home-field shutout streak at 552 minutes.
Wondolowski has now scored against every team in MLS thanks to his Sunday night goal against the Dynamo.
It was a slightly tepid start to proceedings at the BBVA Compass Stadium, and much of the game’s action occurred in midfield. Most of the first half chances came from intercepted passes or turnaways, in which case both teams’ goalkeepers did well to bail their outfield players out. The Earthquakes All-Star goalkeeper, David Bingham, rushed out of the box to snuff out such chances multiple times.
Dynamo midfielder Alex opened the game’s scoring in the 47th minute, after collecting the ball outside the box, beating a defender, and wrapping his foot around the ball to slot it past a diving Bingham.
Although Alex’s good performance on the night has been characteristic of his play since returning from injury, his yellow in the 40th minute for a tackle on Alberto Quintero means he will miss the Dynamo’s next game away at Montreal Impact.
Both teams fought in the Texas heat for those precious two extra points. Ricardo Clark certainly caused havic for the Earthquakes defense, and Cristian Maidana did his best to string together attacks with his insisive passing.
Likewise, the Quakes had their chances, specifically through midfielder Simon Dawkins, who found himself wide open for a number of good chances, but couldn’t convert any of them.
The home side nearly nicked the win late in the match, when a whipped Maidana free kick glazed the head of forward Andrew Wenger, but Bingham was there to San Jose’s rescue yet again with an incredible reaction save from short range.
San Jose will be in action again at home on August 5th against NYCFC, while the Dynamo face the Montreal Impact one day later.
MAN OF THE MATCH
David Bingham made a number of fantastic saves to keep the away team in the game, acting both as a sweeper-keeper and a shot-stopper when his team most needed him.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
In the 47th minute, Alex beat a man, opened up his hips and finessed the ball into the far side of Bingham’s net. Not your average Alex goal.
MOMENT TO FORGET
Simon Dawkins had a few clear-cut chances in the second half, including two wide-open opportunities within 9 minutes apart, but couldn’t make good on any of them.