Recap: Houston Dynamo Down New England 4-0

Houston Dynamo forward Will Bruin (12) and midfielder Boniek Garcia (27) and defender Kofi Sarkodie (8) and midfielder Tony Cascio (28) and midfielder Ricardo Clark (13) and midfielder Brad Davis (11) celebrate a goal against the New England Revolution during the first half at BBVA Compass Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Dynamo got their season off to a perfect start tonight by beating the New England Revolution at BBVA Compass Stadium by a score of 4-0. The oft criticized Will Bruin opened the scoring for the Dynamo just 64 seconds into the match, deftly knocking down a pass from Kofi Sarkodie with his right foot before turning and firing across the keeper into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Bruin added to the Dynamo lead in the 13th minute off a perfect cross from Corey Ashe. It was Ashe who did all the work to create the goal, picking off a sloppy pass from Scott Caldwell before hitting a cross to the far post where Bruin slid on to it and redirected the ball into the back of the net.

Houston added a third in the 23rd minute. This time it was Bruin setting up the goal, running with the ball to the top of the box before setting it up for an onrushing Boniek Garcia who ran past the defense and beat the keeper with a shot to the right side of the goal. The Dynamo continued to apply the pressure, nearly finding a 4th goal in the 28th minute when Garcia set up Tony Cascio on the right side of the box but his shot went straight at the keeper.

The Revolution had the better of the final 10 minutes in the 1st half and could easily have had at least one goal. Following a youth soccer like scrum in front of the net, A.J. Soares beat Bruin to head a corner kick off the post in the 40th minute. Five minutes later it was David Horst with the heroics, throwing his body in front of a shot from Diego Fagundez who was put through on goal off a lovely cross from Kelyn Rowe. Horst came up big all night in his Dynamo debut; he was dominant in the air and made a number of key defensive plays to break down Revolution attacks.

Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark (13) and forward Omar Cummings (7) and midfielder Boniek Garcia (27) celebrate Cummings goal against the New England Revolution during the second half at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo shut out the Revolution 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Dynamo found more space to carve up the Revolution in the 2nd half as New England pushed forward, forcing keeper Bobby Shuttleworth to come up with big saves to keep the scoreline from getting out of control. Shuttleworth denied Bruin a hat trick in the 62nd minute, stopping Bruin’s one-on-one shot. A diving save in the 72nd minute stopped a shot from substitute Andrew Driver that looked destined to hit the top right hand corner of the net. Shuttleworth again came up huge in a one-on-one with Omar Cummings whose 84th minute shot at the bottom right hand corner was stopped.

Cummings, who came on as a substitute for Giles Barnes in the 78th minute, would open his account in added time although he knew little about it. A Ricardo Clark shot from the top of the box ricocheted off of Cummings and into the net to put the Dynamo up 4-0.

The lone dark spot on the night for the Dynamo came in the 2nd half when Cascio went down with an apparent knee injury and had to be taken off. No word at this stage on how severe his injury is.

The Dynamo next play at home on March 15th against Montreal Impact who they beat when last they played in the 2013 playoffs in a tense affair that saw Montreal have three players sent off with red cards.

Houston Dynamo

Lineup: Hall, Sarkodie, Horst, Taylor, Ashe, Cascio (Driver 57′), Garcia, Clark, Davis, Barnes (Cummings 78′), Bruin (Sherrod 90′)

Yellow Cards: Bruin (64′)

Goals: Bruin (2′, 13′), Garcia (23′), Cummings (90′)

New England Revolution

Lineup: Shuttleworth, Alston (Barnes 20′), Goncalves, Soares, Tierney, Caldwell, Fagundez, Rowe, Kobayashi (Sene 74′), Mullins (Bengston HT), Bunbury

Yellow Cards: Barnes (64′), Soares (77′)