Compelling Soccer

Anti Football; thy name is Houston.

Okay, that's a little harsh. Houston has some players who can create well; namely Stuart Holden. But after watching their game against Seattle last night, I came away disgusted on so many levels. The Dynamo played a downright dirty game and should have finished with nine men on the field. Instead a lenient official decided to give talk to the players rather than hand out fair punishment, which in essence, reward Houston for it's play. The result was a 0-0 draw with the return leg of their first round playoff match up taking place on November 8th.

The two plays in question were in the first half. First Pat Onstad, the Dynamo keeper, ran over to Sounders striker Fredy Montero and chest bumped him to the ground. Whether or not Montero embellished is almost irrelevant. This wasn't a light shove; Onstad went over and deliberately threw himself at the smaller striker and knocked him to the ground. MLS officials tried to BS their way out of by saying no punches were thrown and the blow wasn't to the face. The ESPN studio crew (Alexei Lalas and Julie Foudy) tried to BS it by saying you don't want cards changing the aspect of the game. But that's all it is; BS. Onstad committed an offense that was a straight red in anyone's book. You cannot go over an attack a player after a play is completed. It nearly led to a brawl. Instead Onstad and Montero? got yellows. Really? Montero gets a yellow? That reeks to me of an official giving Montero a card based on reputation rather than events; people know Montero dives, so he assumed he dove.

Then minutes later Brian Ching comes in well late on Leonardo Gonzalez from the side (at best). That should have been a straight red. Ching has done this already this season and injured Gonzalez on the play. (He was limping for a bit afterwards) It was a viscous tackle and could have resulted in a torn knee or broken leg from the position Gonzalez was in. (One leg on the ground) Does Ching even get a yellow for that garbage? No, he gets a talking to. What the hell did he have to do to pick up a yellow, let alone a red? I'm guessing he might have had to actually attack Gonzalez with a weapon to get sent off, and even then as long as he didn't hit the face, there may have been some leeway. And that by the way, continues my assertion that Ching should never don the US National team shirt again. The guy slow footed, uncreative striker who lacks finishing touch and doubles as a fouling machine. He doesn't know how to help on defense and he loses his head way too frequently. When the Dynamo played Real Salt lake earlier this year, he pulled the same crap. Only that time he was rightfully sent off it immediately.

Ricardo Clark unintentionally nailed Nate Jaqua in the head with a high kick. It was unintentional, but it cut Jaqua bad enough he had to be bandaged on two separate occasions. That should have been a card as well. Yellow to be lenient but in a lot of leagues, you get sent off for something like that because it can be considered a dangerous play.

The tone was set. The play was physical and players like Montero were getting roughed up the rest of the night. The Sounders still nearly pulled out a victory, but some great plays by the Houston backline (I believe Brian Mullen made a goal saving header) and Onstad kept the game level. But Houston didn't deserve the draw. They deserved to lose and they deserved to be short their goalie, striker and potentially their holding mid for the return leg.

By no means was Seattle perfect. While Freddie Ljungberg was excellent, Montero was off his game. (Possibly from the fouling but I digress) Steve Zakuani wasn't particularly controlled on the wing and if he were on his game, the Sounders probably would have come out on top. They couldn't finish the chances they got.

But for the people on the FIFA forums who whine about officiating and getting screwed over by the AI when they dominate a match and get all the chances, I submit to you this game. Seriously, had I played this game in FIFA last night, I would have thrown my controller at the TV screen. It was a classic F U game. Two ridiculous saves, the official handing out cards for your players even though their guys are playing dirty and viscously taking down your players. Except it really happened on ESPN2 last night and not my Xbox. (Maybe the referee was fooled by the Sounders' kits.)

In short, I hope the Sounders rip Houston on November 8th. I hope they bury them so badly it sets the team back for years. And then I hope Holden goes to Europe in the winter and plays on a team that actually plays soccer and not rugby. I hope the Dynamo don't get rewarded for that type of play.

On the other hand perhaps the Dynamo should be proud. They succeeded where so many other teams failed.

They got me to care about an MLS game.