To commemorate the 10th season of Houston Dynamo soccer, we are counting down the Top 10 moments in Houston Dynamo history as voted on by the fans leading up to our 10th Season Celebration on Oct. 18 against the Seattle Sounders (TICKETS). Next up is No. 8:
The Houston Dynamo dominated the early years of the Texas Derby, going 6-1-2 in the 2006-07 regular season meetings against FC Dallas, but had a scare in the 2007 playoffs from their northern rivals.
Dallas produced a rare victory against the Dynamo in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals as Clarence Goodson pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to give FCD a 1-0 win at home in the playoffs.
The second leg at Robertson Stadium was rocking, as Dynamo fans looked for their team to overturn the deficit. Things didn’t look promising early, as Carlos Ruiz stretched the FC Dallas advantage with a goal in the 14th minute of the match. The match, and the series, turned in the 47th minute when Dallas midfielder Arturo Alvarez received a red card for hitting Brad Davis after the pair went for a ball on the sideline.
The Dynamo made good on the man advantage with the crowd of 30,000 fans behind them. Stuart Holden cut the deficit to a goal in the 66th minute, side-volleying a ball in the box knocked down by Brian Ching, then Ching tied the aggregate score at 2-2 with a well-timed run onto a pass from Dwayne De Rosario in the 72nd minute.
In extra time, the Dynamo pulled away. A cross from Brian Mullen in the 97th minute was deflected in the penalty area and found Joseph Ngwenya, who centered the ball for Ching to poke past the FCD keeper. Brad Davis capped the comeback with a free kick to the upper corner from 25 yards out on the left flank for the final aggregate score of 4-2, sending the Dynamo to the Western Conference Championship for the second consecutive year.
