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.

When on Wednesday Honduras named it's squad in advance of the upcoming October 10th clash against the US, I really didn't bat much of an eye. After all, the US team never reveals their team publicly until a few days before the game. It's Bob Bradley no doubt channeling his inner Bill Belichick, except you know, without the winning and stuff. He also tends to make a mockery of it all by doing things like revealing it piece mail on the internet. So I guess you have to refrain from calling it Belichikian and refer it as Mangini-esque.

I caught two thirds of the Houston v. Pachuca battle yesterday. It might have been the best effort I've seen from an MLS side thus far, ranking up there with the Sounders' game against Chivas USA. And wouldn't you know it, like the Sounders game, Houston failed to register a goal. This was an even worse result for the Dynamo though, as they fell 1-0 to Pachuca, putting them in a dangerous spot heading into their final game of the CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage. They can still advance, but the road becomes more difficult.