Rodriguez, McNamara Goals Lift Dynamo Over DC United

Saturday night it was Houston’s Homegrown player that helped lift them to a win over DC United and their English Soccer Star. Memo Rodriguez and Tommy McNamara proved to be crucial in Houston’s victory over the visitors. The 2-1 victory showed that the Dynamo are a serious contender as a top team in MLS this season, even when they lose their star players.

Just seconds into the game Alberth Elis and Steven Birnbaum collided heads while going up for the ball. Both were down on the ground for several minutes after the collision with Birnbaum bleeding from the head. Both went off and came back on the field after being looked. However, ten minutes later Elis had to be subbed off as he was not able to continue on with Memo Rodriguez coming on in his place.

Overall DCU seemed to be the stronger team in the first half. As the half wore on the Dynamo started to get more time with the ball and put together eight shots included a header from Rodriguez that was inches from becoming a goal.

The second half started off with a goal from Wayne Rooney. The Dynamo turned the ball over at midfield and DCU struck on the counter attack. Ulises Segura crossed the ball in front of goal which pulled Joe Willis out as he tried to grab the ball leaving the net open behind him. Rooney was waiting by the net tapping the ball in to make it 0-1, DC United.

Houston finally found a spark in the second half. In the 67th minute Memo Rodriguez cut behind the DCU player who was trying to defend against him before getting around a second one. With two more defenders closing in on him Rodriguez ripped a shot off that went past Bill Hamid who put a hand out to try and stop it. Moments later Adam Lundqvist crossed the ball in to Tommy McNamara who jumped up getting a knee on the ball sending it into the goal as he also went into the net. Within a minute the Dynamo had gone from down a goal to up a goal against DCU at 2-1.

In the 83rd minute Paul Arriola was issued a yellow card after stepping on Lundqvist. The card was reviewed and Arriola’s yellow was upgraded to a red card and he was sent off leaving DCU to finish the game with only ten men. The Dynamo weren’t able to use it to their advantage to widen their lead as the game ended with a final score of 2-1.

Houston looked stronger in the second half as they scored two goals and ended the game with 20 shots. They held DCU to only 11 shots in the game with four of those shots coming from Rooney.

The win moves Houston up to third place in the Western Conference standings with the LA Galaxy, sitting fourth, still to play tomorrow. Next for Houston is a road game against Minnesota United on Saturday.

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