Anatomy of a Goal - Tommy Mac Opens His Account

After falling behind early in the first half Saturday night, the Dynamo scored twice in two minutes to defeat D.C. United 2-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Memo Rodriguez scored the equalizer and Tommy McNamara got the winner, his first as a member of the Houston Dynamo.

In this week’s Anatomy of a Goal, we’re breaking down McNamara’s winner, Tommy Mac being Tommy Mac.

The play starts with Dynamo center back Alejandro Fuenmayor in acres of space. Usually when defenders have the ball they’ll get it to their play makers as soon as possible but Fuenmayor takes advantage of the space and dribbles forward.

Ah, the triangle. The beautiful shape for soccer purists everywhere. Fuenmayor dribbling forward sets up a 3 v 1 triangle with Boniek Garcia and Adam Lundkvist.

Fuenmayor draws the defender to him and he passes off to Boniek Garcia. Adam Lundkvist has split the two D.C. defenders and is ready for Boniek’s first time pass.

Boniek’s pass is slightly deflected but finds its way to Lundkvist. With the Swede’s great crossing ability, the Dynamo attackers are making runs. Three players get in to the attack (for now).

As Lundkvist makes his cross, Mauro Manotas darts to the near post. We have talked about this very run from Manotas multiple times this season and in this case it works to perfection, freeing up space on the back post for...

Tommy! Manotas is unable to get a foot on the cross but McNamara, who has now entered the picture, is in position to get to the ball on the back post.

McNamara gets a, chest?, on the ball, just enough to send it goal bound. What happened next was pretty wild, and can best be seen from the camera angle behind the goal.

D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid somehow got across and got a hand on McNamara’s initial shot. Hamid reaches the ball with his left hand and pushes it off the goal line. But pushing it off the goal line puts it right on to McNamara’s left foot.

Hamid can do nothing from there as the ball is pushed on to McNamara’s foot and his momentum pushes it in to the net for what turned out to be the game winning goal.

And yes, that’s Tommy in the goal, face down, feet up as the ball nestles in to the net.

Tommy McNamara has gained a bit of a cult following around MLS, from his beautiful mullet at Chivas USA to his time at New York City FC. His goal against D.C. proved to be a winner but more importantly made him just the fifth player to score for the Dynamo this season. Adding another goal scoring threat was big to gain 3 points Saturday and will be huge as this season continues.