The Houston Dynamo just released this video today of last Saturday's 4-0 win over SMU, the team's first with Brian Ching back in the lineup. The Captain mentioned on Glenn Davis' program last night that Brad Davis told him he thought this might be Dynamo's most technical-oriented squad ever. Even allowing for the level of competition, you see some nice pieces of skill in this video.
About 12 seconds in, Corey Ashe, playing in an advanced position on the left (This must be preseason.) does a nifty little behind the back move to send in a cross that Bryan Ownby (I think) makes a mash out of. Come on Bryan. I'm rooting for you, but that little header? Yuck.
Oops, what was I saying? At the 30-second mark, Ashe again playing up on the left sends a pretty bending cross to Ownby, who this time buries it. OK, all is forgiven UCLA boy.
Rain obscures the lens somewhat at this point of the video, so you can't get clear views of two horrendous misses. But then, not letting Ownby be the only Bruin to score, the Dancing Bear Will Bruin comes in just past the minute mark to get on the board. What time! I've seen PKs more pressured than that.
Warning: Don't look too close after that, or you will see JeVaughn Watson still in a Dynamo uniform, congratulating Bruin. I wonder what he's saying. Any ideas? (Please keep it clean. This is a family site.)
Don't keep your eyes closed too long, though. A few seconds later, Brazilian trialist Emerson Sato rises to meet a long cross and buries it for his first goal in preseason. Then a few second later, someone (thankfully) cleans off the lens at halftime and Colin Rolfe scores the final after a pretty cross.
Preseason to me is like a gentleman's agreement, it isn't worth the paper it's not printed on. Still, in the context of meaningless friendlies, it's always nice to see some good play, and play that is getting better as we go along. For those of you scoring at home, here are Dynamo's scoring leaders in the preseason so far:
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Bruin (4)
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Ownby, (4)
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Clark (3)
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Rolfe (3)
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Weaver (3)
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Dixon (2)
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Kandji (2)
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Sato (2)
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Sturgis (2)
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Aseweh
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Arreola
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Escobar
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Moffat
Next up is Dynamo's trip to Orlando, Florida this weekend for the Disney Pro Soccer Classic. Before taking the Emirates Cup last year, this was the New York Red Bulls' first and only trophy! Also, some team from Frisco beat us at PKs in the final of this event in 2011 for their only trophy. Charity is a wonderful thing, ain't it?
Friday at 5 p.m., the Orange play the Sporks, followed by Sunday at noon against Vancouver and, TA-DUM!!!, Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. against the Montreal L'Impact, all at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.