By DAN KARELL
In a match marked by physical play all night long, it shouldn’t be a surprise that arguably the league’s most physical defender scored the game-winning goal.
Aurelien Collin overcame an early yellow card to play the entire match and score the game winner in the second half, as Sporting Kansas City downed the Houston Dynamo, 1-0, on Sunday night at BBVA Compass Stadium. The loss for the Dynamo ended their 36 match unbeaten run at home in all competitions.
Both clubs realized early on that the short-passing game wasn’t on the cards, so they turned to a very direct style, which saw numerous physical battles in the middle of the field as well as in the final thirds, two teams fighting each other for every floated cross. The teams each had only 63 percent accuracy in the first half, and the number only decreased for SKC in the second, as they finished at just 59 percent.
The chippy atmosphere in the match extended all the way from the beginning to the end. Collin was awarded his yellow card for a slide tackle on Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark in the 24th minute, though it seemed like Clark sold the foul a bit. Dynamo forward Andrew Driver was awarded a yellow card just five minutes later for a late challenge, and SKC midfielder Oriol Rosell got his own card for persistent fouling four minutes from halftime.
Though he scored two and assisted on another two on Wednesday, Dynamo forward Will Bruin struggled to find his feet during the match, his best opportunity coming in the 13th minute on a shot that went high over the match. Dynamo captain Brad Davis couldn’t convert numerous free kick opportunities in the first and second halves into chances for his teammates or goals for himself.
In the 73rd minute, Collin ended up in the right place in the box off a long throw-in from teammate Seth Sinovic. The French defender flicked the header past Hall and across the goal line, potentially making amends for his error on Wednesday night against the Seattle Sounders and giving his side a lead.
35 fouls and four yellow cards were shown during the match, a majority towards the visitors and the game reduced to a scrum at the end. Dynamo substitute Brian Ching came on in an effort to redirect any number of Davis’ crosses but the two could not find a connection together as Ike Opara and Collin stood tall and strong in the heart of the SKC defense.
SKC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen also earned his seventh clean sheet of the season, making three saves on the night for Peter Vermes side who won their sixth match of the season and move to second place in the Eastern Conference, tied with the Dynamo on 20 points.
Here are the match highlights:
Wheres imperative voice? I thought he was going to jump at the opportunity to attack Dom Kinnear after this loss. Or is he using a different name here? Anybody who writes more than 500 characters is a suspect here.
Houston is never in the top 10 of teams or players commiting fouls but yet people always say they are a thuggish or bruiser type of team? There are absolutely no stats to support these claims but kids from Kansas and Los Angeles always say the same stuff. It’s simply not true.
Aurelien Collin who is a leader in fouls committed does not play for the Dynamo. Neither does Steven Lenhart. Roy Miller, Oriol Rosell, or Victor Bernardez doesn’t either. Just because Houston works hard doesn’t mean they just go around fouling people all day long.
Ricardo Clark stomped Carlos Ruiz and received a large MLS fine back in 2007 and everyone treats it as if it happened yesterday. It was almost 7 years ago, let it go already.
Lastly, I’ll say this. Kansas City wanted the win more than Houston and thus they won. Why Corey Ashe didn’t kick the ball out of the goal instead of trying to bend over to head it is beyond me.
Where is besler?
MCL strain
Am I the only one just glad I don’t have to hear about this streak anymore?
As a dynamo fan i was tired of it too.
Pretty good game. It was time for the streak to end sooner or latter. Now how about the Dynamo address the fwd situation? Pretty glaring with Barnes, who is not a forward, not in the line up.
Yeah, no kidding, i was glad to see the rookie in there, which means he must be somewhat good to be getting playing time.
Save of the game — and maybe the week — goes to Nagamura.
It was an entertaining match at the end of a 3-game/7,000 mile road trip for the Dynamo. I can’t believe how fit the Dynamo are to play with such intensity in so many games last week.
This had all the makings of the end of the streak. Coast to coast to coast travel for the Dynamo, SKC coming off a poor performance and a loss midweek, rivalry game, and the fact that SKC is top quality. I don’t know how it is in other cities but in Houston and KC, the supporters groups tailgate with each other prior to the game. Mutual respect among supporters. I’ve been in other MLS stadiums where home fans have verbally attacked visiting fans and been vulgar in front of kids. In Seattle I saw a guy spray green spray paint on the back of a visiting fans jersey as he was walking into the stadium with his family. Classless. I know there are drunk morons in every city but you don’t find anything like that among the KC and Houston supporters. That being said, hopefully we can return the favor week after next. Respect.
SKC is a disgraceful team. The constant hacking. The never-ending crying and ganging up on refs. And all the little classless things like refusing to kick the ball to the spot for the other team or straight up kicking it away.
What’s the deal with Feilhaber? Has he been injured, coming in off the bench, or just not playing?
As far as I know, no deal with him. PV has been rotating his squad a lot more the last couple of weeks because of the number of games, and Benny started on Wednesday, so understandable that he didn’t start today. I expect to see him in the starting XI next week because Oriol Rosell will be suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
He was on the injury report yesterday listed as questionable
He has also been outplayed by Joseph Peterson
oh please, I’ve seen every SKC match.
Mark, Joseph Peterson Or Jacob Peterson Or Peterson Joseph?
Predictable. In fact, I predicted it,..using my amazing new metric. Whatever team plays DC United will not win their next game. Except for one draw, every team lost their next game…except for one win by Sporting, which can’t count as an exception since they beat NYRB, who was also playing its first game since beating United. All I can figure is that United’s awful play is contagious.
Dallas is in for some heartache against Seattle next week.
ROFLMAO
Very interesting hypothesis. I’m interested in seeing how this plays out.
You got a point, we will see if that trend continues.
Hahaha!!! nice morning laugh, thanks
and enjoyed your write up Dan
The way Sporting KC plays would not work anywhere but in MLS. The refs allow too many of their fouls not be called either yellow or red cards. If this is allowed more MLS teams are going to try to play that style of play and the league and the fans will lose.
wahhhh! wahhhh! wahhhhh!
I hope you are not a Houston fan, because they foul as much as any team in the league. A 25-10 disparity in fouls in that match tonight was a complete joke.
i didnt see the game, but would have to agree with you re: Houston and fouls. as a team they just run people over when their backs are to them more than any other, it seems.
The Dynamo need to get back to their thuggish ways against certain teams. The match last night was a good example of being physically beaten with fouls. The Dynamo need to start bruising again.
Houston fan here. Don’t let jcr speak for all of us. We like the SKC rivalry, and last night they beat us at our own fouling game.
Some of us seem to have a short memory… SKC used the same strategy we used in the 1st half of the MLS Cup Final to put LA (temporarily) on the back foot.
That said, Houston has been evolving this season to play a little less of the persistent fouling style with the addition of Driver and increased PT of Barnes.
Sloppy match last night, but a fun one. Can’t win ’em all!
As an SKC fan thanks for this response. We also enjoy the rivalry. I personally dislike Houston more than any other team due to their recent success over us in the playoffs. I, however, also respect them and always put an astericks next to our games on the schedule. Last night’s win felt good. Now onto the next battle.
WE WOULD WIN BPL, WE NEVER LOSE TO MANCHESTER UNITED!!!!!!1
jcr, please read The Fox and the Grapes, its one of Aesops Fables
I did not see any probs with the fouling, even though SKC had more fouls, they won with no complaints from me. I am satisfied with the loss because we tried so hard to get the draw, which we would normally accomplish, in the last 15 minutes. No excuses.