Houston,TX – To be a consistent playoff team, in a league that has been getting exponentially better every season is only possible if we do the same. Dynamo Manager, Owen Coyle, drove that point home in the press conference after our Houston Dynamo defeated the Colorado Rapids in a five goal thriller Saturday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

All I ask as a Dynamo fan is to be in the title race and hopefully win some silverware. Leaving it at the last minute seems to be the modus operandi of the Dynamo and it’s as entertaining as it is stressful.

Results haven’t come easy for our Dynamo and there are plenty of excuses I could rattle off and they’d all be reasonable, but I won’t. I will say that despite all the adversity our Dynamo have faced and a myriad of bad results we’ve really played some of the best football all season in these past couple games to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot and it’s obvious to see that this team hasn’t given up and there is a belief among the players that their season won’t end on the 25th of October in Vancouver.

In front of a crowd of 20,343 fans, a lot of which were sporting pink shirts in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Night, hosted by Houston Methodist, our Houston Dynamo lined up against the Colorado Rapids team that only a few weeks earlier had defeated us 2-1 on their home soil, in a match of the utmost importance.

Our Dynamo came out with an attitude and determination to take the game to Colorado from the opening kick-off and found success in just the 3rd minute as Bruin shrugged off Colorado’s Jared Watts in midfield and running uncontested down the middle laying it off to Barnes who stumbled a bit yet, was able to put it out to Lionel Miranda who was cutting in from the outside and one-timed a powerful low shot into the far corner of the net leaving the Colorado net-minder bewildered.

It was the start the Dynamo wanted and needed in a game of such significance, however, the celebration didn’t last long as a needless foul was committed just outside the 18-yard box right in front of our Dynamo’s goal setting up the always dangerous Uruguayan Vicente Sanchez to put a shot around the wall and into the net in the 8th minute leveling the score at one apiece.

It was end-to-end football as both teams desperate for points carved out chances but it was our Dynamo who found another break-through. In the 24th minute an errant Colorado pass was picked-up by Bruin in midfield who pushed the ball around St.Ledger and muscled him off the ball only to slow the play down six yards away from goal and unselfishly play the ball across for Giles Barnes to slot home to regain the one goal advantage.

Colorado were not going to go down so easily and more specifically Vicente Sanchez was not going to do so and was determined to lift the Rapids on his shoulders as he drove down the left side playing a give and go with Dillon Powers through our Dynamo defense putting a shot on goal that seemed to be helped by an unfortunate touch by Center-Back Raul Rodriguez running back towards goal before it crossed the line again, leveling the score at two all, just minutes before halftime.

Giving up a goal just before half is something that could reasonably destroy the spirit of any team, I don’t know what the speech was that Coyle gave during halftime to encourage our side to lift their heads up and to believe but it worked as our Dynamo came out with a vengeance responding minutes after the break as Barnes made a run to the left corner of the 18-yard box patiently holding the ball up to play to the outside for the onrushing Miranda who played a dangerous cross into the six yard box just missing the head of Bruin but instead bouncing off the leg of a Colorado defender dropping perfectly to Brad “Oh Captain,My Captain” Davis who nestled it into the open net for what would be the winning goal.

Tyler Deric was forced into a full stretch save off a free kick in the 78th and was brilliant as he cut down the angle of an open Sanchez on the left blocking his shot and preserving the three points.

Plenty of things to be happy about for our Dynamo, Barnes and Davis finally getting back on the scoresheet, Bruin looking incredible up-top, and the team as a whole playing some beautiful football.

Even with this win, matches around the league didn’t go as we had hoped, Portland won against Columbus, Sporting Kansas City shared the spoils with Seattle and San Jose leap-frogged us after winning against Real Salt Lake, all setting the stage for an epic confrontation with FC Dallas in the Texas Derby on October, 4th.

They’ve had our number this year, as they’ve beaten us both times we’ve met, yet, with us coming off back to back wins and Dallas coming off from a tough loss in LA this final encounter could be ours.

If we are to make the playoffs, it’ll be well earned, as our last three games are against some of the more talented teams in the league.

This team believes, I believe and I hope everyone reading this believes as well.

I am and will always be Forever Orange!!

Next Game: Houston Dynamo/FC Dallas

Sunday, October, 4th at Toyota Stadium  at 4PM CDT

TV:ESPN2