Houston Dynamo earns a tough road point in 1-1 draw against D.C. United

Houston Dynamo came from behind to earn a tough draw on the road against DC United.

The Dynamo went down a goal first, just like the Galaxy game, after a 36th minute free-kick goal scored by Chris Rolfe but tied it up in the 65th.

Brad Davis flung a left-footed cross from the left side of the box to Will Bruin, who was a half-time substitution for Luis Garrido. Bruin flicked it on goal, where D.C. keeper Andrew Dykstra -- who played in goal for usual starter Bill Hamid -- made a great save. But Ricardo Clark was lurking in the box and hit the deflection on to the far post for his second game in as many weeks.

Most of the Dynamo's dangerous chances came in a ten-minute span between the 59th and 69th minutes. Houston reeled off six shots in the span, including the Clark goal.

Giles Barnes, who looked dangerous against D.C United and finished with four shots, had a chance in that time frame and it was close. Clark picked up a loose ball in the middle of the field and passed it down the right side to Alexander Lopez. Lopez, starting for the first time this season for an injured Oscar Boniek Garcia, played a nice back-heel flick into the box where a charging Barnes tried to one-touch it in but it hit post.

Houston were out-shot and out-possessed for the second week in a row but it did not prevent the Dynamo from getting the team's second road point of the season. Perennial Save of the Week candidate Tyler Deric came up big and made enough saves to keep United at bay, perhaps earning another nomination with an early second-half save against Chris Pontius, a diving attempt to keep Pontius out of goal. The only blemish on his night was D.C. United's free-kick goal.

D.C.'s free-kick opportunity came after Nathan Sturgis fouled D.C. United forward Jaio Arrieta outside of the box to give the home club a set-piece chance. Four players lined-up around the ball, which might have caused Deric some confusion, and Rolfe struck the kick in the far-post corner well out of Deric's way.

Rob Lovejoy, who scored in Houston's 3-0 romp against the Impact last Saturday, made a cameo appearance in the 80th minute, subbing in for Lopez. Chandler Hoffman subbed in for Bruin, who might have suffered an injury, during stoppage time.

The Dynamo return home next Saturday for a 7:30 match-up against Sporting Kansas City.