As the Houston Dynamo defense walked off the field on Sunday, there was pride in their steps. Sure the attack shined with two goals, but they put a big number on the board themselves: a zero.
It was the second week in a row that they’d pitched a shutout, this time earning the club the full three points and gaining ground in the playoff race in the process. For a defense that’s gone through a trying season, it’s a sign of positive steps during the most important time of the year.
“I think being comfortable, the communication and the minutes together is a very good thing, but it’s also an attitude throughout the whole entire team,” team captain Brad Davis said of the defense. “Everybody’s been doing that extra little bit of gritty work to get back and help out and do the things that aren’t necessarily fun but help the team.
“There’s been a change in mentality throughout the group and I feel we’re a tough team to beat when we have that die hard attitude.”
The back-to-back shutouts were the first for the club since blanking the New England Revolution and Montreal Impact in the first two games of the season. Unlike last week when they were under fire from the Philadelphia Union, who got off 17 shots, the Dynamo kept Chicago under control. The Fire took 12 shots but rarely looked poised to score, only forcing three saves from goalkeeper Tyler Deric.
“I don’t think we had as many chances against us this week as we did last week so I thought defensively we were pretty good,” head coach Dominic Kinnear said. “We seemed to clean up everything. Our staying on our feet and getting in the way of things was good and Tyler came out at times. We never really gave up too many second opportunities.”
The shutout was their ninth of the season, which is tied for second in MLS with three other teams. A unique stat considering the club has given up 50 goals this season, the fifth most in MLS this season.
The feast or famine nature of the defense has been much talked about. Injuries and suspensions have created a revolving door in the back this season, not helping inconsistent performances and stretches of poor play.
As the back line has settled some the past two weeks, especially center backs AJ Cochran and David Horst, the results have shown a positive sign the club’s hoping to keep around the rest of the season.
“I think you can see the progress on the field,” Horst said. “We’re getting better every week, him and I and hopefully next week we get another run out together and it keeps getting better every week.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
