Dynamo Tie, But Clinch A Playoff Spot

The Houston Dynamo joined the Columbus Crew and Los Angeles Galaxy as the only clubs to clinch a spot in the 2009 MLS Playoffs. They secured their spot on Sunday with a 1-1 tie against the Kansas City Wizards.

However, the result now puts the Dynamo in second place in the Western Conference, one point behind the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The Dynamo’s lone goal came in the 26th minute, when Luis Angel Landin scored his first goal in MLS action. Brian Mullan assisted on the goal with a low cross that Landin tapped in pass Wizards’ keeper, Kevin Hartman.

“I was very, very happy,” Landin told Hair Balls. “It was the first of hopefully many more to come.”

Landin was substituted for in the second half. He was the lone striker
for most of the match, following an ejection of Cam Weaver in the
fifteenth minute for a reckless tackle.

“There was no intent to injure,
but that’s the way [the ref] saw it,” Weaver explained about his
ejection. “There’s nothing I can do now.”

That red shown to Weaver was
the fourth straight MLS game that a Dynamo player was ejected from the
game. Weaver got the start because Brain Ching was suspended for his
ejection in last weekend’s game against Real Salt Lake.

Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear stressed to his team about keeping
discipline and composure on the field. “It’s not helping us,” he said. “I talked
to the team about that after today.”

Kansas City got the equalizer in the 73rd minute from second-half sub
Zoltan Hercegfalvi. With the man advantage, the Wizards controlled much
of the second half, although the Dynamo created plenty of opportunities
to take back the lead in the final ten minutes of the game.

The next Dynamo game is next Sunday, October 11, when they play a
friendly against CF Monterrey. The Dynamo’s next MLS match is on
October 18, when David Beckham brings his chaps from southern
California to Robertson.