CARSON, Calif. -- Leading by a goal late in Saturday's match, the Houston Dynamo had a bounce go against them as a failed clearance resulted in a Chivas USA equalizer.
Houston thus settled for a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA and will now turn their attention on defending their MLS Cup 2006 and 2007 crowns.
With the Western Conference top seed already in the bag well before Saturday's game, the result then might not have been quite as important. But Houston midfielder Dwayne De Rosario said the team did not go to The Home Depot Center content with the first 29 games of the season.
"That's not our mentality," De Rosario said. "Every time we play there is always something on the line. That's pride. We always want to win."
De Rosario scored Houston's goal in the 52nd minute as he converted a penalty kick. But in the game's waning moments, Chivas USA defender Jim Curtin scored on a rebound. Carey Talley sent a ball into the penalty area from the right side and Eddie Robinson tried to clear it. However, the ball went straight at the goal. Pat Onstad saved it but the ball fell on the goal line and Curtin raced in and poked the ball across the line.
"Not the result we wanted, especially with the chances we had. In saying that I thought we played well. The ball movement was sharp," De Rosario said. "Defensively we did well. One funny bounce and they scored. We got punished for not punishing them."
Houston went up a man after Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy fouled Nate Jaqua inside the penalty area to set up the 52nd-minute opener. On the play, Jaqua was the beneficiary of a turnover deep in Chivas USA's defensive third.
"I was able to get through. It was kind of a miscommunication between Curtin and (Claudio) Suarez," Jaqua said. "I was able to kind of bounce through there and get the ball out."
Kennedy clipped Jaqua as he went by and referee Terry Vaughn pointed at the penalty spot before showing Kennedy a red card. Although Chivas USA coaches and players vehemently protested the call, Jaqua said the call itself was justified.
"I tried to jump over him. He got my foot but very, very minor and it was enough to keep me off balance a little bit. I tried to keep my feet and I felt like I would have stayed on my feet in stride I would have gotten to that," he said. "It's a harsh PK and it's definitely a harsh red card but I also felt like I was impeded somewhat in my process to get to the ball."
Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear protested in favor of Chivas USA after Vaughn sent Kennedy off.
"I didn't want to see the guy get sent off. That was it," Kinnear said. "I just thought that the Kennedy guy was trying to play the ball. I know what the rule is but you don't want to see the guy miss his first playoff game."
After De Rosario converted the spot kick, Houston settled into a groove and had multiple chances to put the game away. Replacement goalkeeper Zach Thornton made two clutch saves to keep his side on the team and without converting their opportunities, Houston eventually let Chivas USA back in the match.
Still, the result won't taint the high spirits the club has entering the playoffs, players said.
"I thought we played good soccer tonight and had our chances. It was unfortunate we weren't able to put them away," Jaqua said. "We're confident right now and were playing well and that's all that really matters, being confident and playing well. The result -- obviously you don't want to tie 1-1, but that's fine. We'll put it past us and just concentrate on the playoffs."
