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If you haven't rode a roller coaster at any point in your life, you likely can't truly appreciate the 2011 Dynamo season. All the thrills and exhilaration has been there, those stomach lurching moments as well, it's been both fun and maddeningly frustrating all at the same time. In the end, the depth of the journey certainly leads to the end result being even more fulfilling.
Normally, finishing in second place isn't something that everyone would get really excited about. However, when finishing in second means that on the final day of the regular season you got a huge win that catapulted the team from the wild card round, things feel a lot different. Considering there were points during the season where even making the playoffs was a doubt, things feel a lot different.
Basically, finishing in second place is not too shabby.
As a result of the Dynamo's 3-1 defeat of a weakened Los Angeles Galaxy team, Houston will face the Philadelphia Union in the Easter Conference semifinals. The Union will host the first leg of the tie on Sunday, October 30th, while the Dynamo will host the second leg on Thursday, November 3rd. Much better than having to travel to Colorado or Dallas to play a single elimination wild card game.
In addition to the team victory, Brad Davis passed David Beckham (who did not play) to finish as the top assist man in the league this season with 16 (a single season career high). It was a final punctuation mark on was could potentially be an MVP season for the Dynamo midfielder. The assist was the 80th of Davis' career, tying him for ninth place on the all-time MLS assist chart.
Oh yeah, Carlo Costly finally scored! Everyone is fully aware of Costly's goal scoring ability and there would be no better time than the postseason for the Honduran forward to catch fire and start putting balls in the back of the net. In addition, I feel Costly was wrongly yellow carded for removing his shirt in celebration after the goal. Clearly, the amazing nature of Davis' curling pass blew his shirt off. Bad referee.