Houston Dynamo Win: 3 Things We Learned & Player Ratings

Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall (1) makes a save Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Player Ratings

Tally Hall (6) – Hall was not called on often but was strong in the air making a number of interceptions and punches to clear out crosses.

Corey Ashe (6) – Ashe’s interception and beautiful cross made Bruin’s 2nd goal easy. However, he was sloppy in possession and passing at times. He fell asleep on a sequence in the 2nd half resulting in a Fagundez header to Bengston that should have been a goal.

Jermaine Taylor (6) – Taylor was generally solid but also had a couple of poor moments. Most notably he was beaten by Rowe off a Fagundez scoop which should have resulted in a goal.

David Horst (7) – Horst started tentatively but soon was dominant in the air and on the ground. He had the interception and pass that started the attack leading to Bruin’s first goal. He did get caught ball watching on the Bengston near goal and let Fagundez get behind him once but was saved blushes by a Taylor clearance.

Kofi Sarkodie (6.5) – Sarkodie was solid both defensively and going forward. He had the assist on Bruin’s first goal of the match.

Brad Davis (7.5) – Davis was in mid-season form, defending well and creating well in the attack. Davis’ stamina seems to get better as he gets older; he was all over the pitch until the final whistle.

Houston Dynamo midfielder Andrew Driver (20) Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Ricardo Clark (7) – Clark quietly did what Dynamo fans expect of him, breaking up the Revs attack and generally being a menace in front of the back 4. He was also effective going forward, getting into position for several scoring opportunities before ricocheting a shot off Cummings’s face into the back of the net.

Boniek Garcia (8.5) – Garcia was the man of the match, pulling all the strings in attack and demonstrating impressive defending skills including a slide tackle in the box which stopped a Revolution scoring opportunity. Garcia had a goal for himself and came close to recording several assists.

Tony Cascio (5.5) – Cascio had a quiet game for the most part. His size posed some problems for the Revolution defense, but his own defending was not as good as it could have been. The best Revolution attacks of the 1st half came down his side of the pitch.

Giles Barnes (7) – Barnes did everything but score. He wore out the back line and created space for Bruin with his runs. He got into space and created with the ball at his feet. Good all around match.

Will Bruin (8) – His first goal was sublime, the second was good positioning. His assist of Garcia’s goal showed much better physical presence on the ball than last season. He gets marked down for losing Soares on a 1st half corner kick which resulted in a header off the post and for failing to track back on Chris Tierney in the aftermath of a 2nd half corner which might easily have resulted in a goal. His first touch was often heavy, then there is the missed 1-on-1 opportunity despite having Shuttleworth stranded at the penalty spot and not a defender near him.

Andrew Driver (6) – Driver came on as a 2nd half substitute for Cascio. He ran at the defense and had a wonderful curling shot saved by Shuttleworth. He committed a major faux pas, however, by going to ground while defending Tireney and missing him, leading to a dangerous Revs opportunity.

Omar Cummings (7) – Cummings came on as a sub for Barnes and showed off his pace and skill. He had a 1-on-1 with Shuttleworth, drawing a great diving save to keep the ball out of the back of the net. He generated several other opportunities before scoring with his face off a Clark shot.

Mark Sherrod (inc.) – Sherrod came on in added time and had one opportunity to show off his aerial skills, heading a ball on to Davis which ultimately led to Cummings goal.

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