Last week Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching told MLSsoccer.com that he felt his partnership with Will Bruin was coming around. The pair provided proof Saturday night.
A week after combining for an equalizer in a 1-1 draw with the Chicago Fire, the pair struck late again, but this time it was Bruin setting the Dynamo captain up to be the hero as Houston took a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew.
OPTA Chalkboard: Follow Bruin and Gaven
WATCH: Bruin finds Ching for tying goal
“I thought those two had a really good night for us again," Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said after the match. "It was good to see them score."
Since coming out of a 23-day break, the pair has drawn positive reviews for their work on and off the ball. While the work off the ball has always been there, the Dynamo expect their tandem to be a handful week in and week out now that the goals are starting to find the back of the net.
“I thought Ching and Will both were battling the whole night and winning their fair share,” goalkeeper Tally Hall said. “I don’t think many can come away from a game with the Crew and say they battled as well as we did. That comes a lot from those two guys up top.
“Will’s goal on the corner, he was getting bear hugged and fought right through it,” Hall continued. “For them to get two goals, they deserve it and they did it with hard work.”
Resolve pays off
A running theme through the Dynamo’s first five games has been their resolve. Saturday, that trait came through again after the club gave up two goals in the matter of 15 minutes.
“We’re a team that’s been together now and when you look at the last half of last year and the beginning of this year, they don’t get rattled,” Kinnear said. “We did lose our composure a little bit, especially after their first goal, and then Columbus took advantage, but the guys had enough time to get something out of the game.”
Hall comes up big
While Houston came back late, there were a few nervy moments as the Crew pushed for a late winner.
But as the Crew picked up the pressure, Hall held firm, making three saves on one sequence before Andre Hainault cleared a ball off the end line to secure the 2-2 draw.
“Tally pretty much stood on his head to preserve that point,” Ching said. “He always makes the [saves] he should and comes up with the spectacular as well. When we needed him, he came up with the big save.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
