Dynamo beat Sounders 0-0

So let's start the discussion. Here are some of my initial thoughts from tonight:

1. The Onstad Bump: After the game, Alexi Lalas showed the smarts that made him the GM he was when he said that Onstad should have gotten a red card for that contact. "99 times out of 100, that's a straight red," ranted his Gingerness. Well, back here in the real world, if that's a red card offense then it's a sorry state of football we would have here. Instead, Ricardo Salazar (more on him in a sec), figured out what happened, awarded the justly-deserved yellows, and we went on.

Personally, I don't think the bump was intentional at all. Onstad wasn't even looking at Fredy the Flopper when he ran into him. Then Montero went down like he was shot and the party began. So a yellow to Onstad for not paying attention and one to F the F for being a moron. Sounds fair to me.

The event had another beneficial effect as well in that it defanged Montero. How many more times in the game did you see that guy be at all threatening? Heck, Patrick Ianni was more threatening than Montero. If this is what happens, I think Pat ought to bump someone every game.

2. This time, the clear off the line gets called a clear off the line. Well done Mully. Remove the nongoal goal from Seattle's arsenal and what do you have?

3. Salazar. Wow, a quality MLS ref. How did that happen? Can we get that guy every game? He had total command of the game from start to finish and while there were some fouls not called, it seemed to me that that went both ways all night. On balance, for the most part, you weren't aware the guy was even there, which is what we all want from the ref, now isn't it? (Aside from the fact that guy was ripped. I think he could have out bench-pressed everyone on that field. What guns!),

4. Did anyone else find Dominic Kinnear's subs an interesting couple of calls? There you are, fighting in the first, away leg of the tie. Score is knotted all zeros. Game is getting late. You think, well, by the book, the away team will play for the draw and pack it in. Except that you would not be reading Dominic Kinnear's book. His two subs were both forwards for other forwards. Offensive subs. Kinnear was going for the kill. And indeed, towards the end, I think we almost had one. Seattle was clearly tiring and knotting up, while Dynamo were nutting up. More solid link-up play from the midfield to Landin and Weaver and the Orange could be coming home with a lead.

5. The result was far from perfect of course. Landin continues to show that he's slow, though his touch is a wonder to behold. When he came on late, there were just one or two too many passes that, if delivered well, both to Landin and from, would have resulted in clear scoring chances.

Also, the take on Dominic Oduro stays the same, meaning that if the guy had any kind of finishing touch or physical toughness at all, he would be a force in this league. His speed is truly awesome, but all too often, he'll lose the ball on the dribble to even the weakest challenge, or sometimes with no challenge at all. He doesn't read the defensive movement closing in on him quickly enough to find the open guy. And while he had no real scoring chances tonight, how much of that was because he didn't fight off the ball to create those chances? To be fair, his speed constantly stretched the Sounder defense, and with those wheels, he brought something to the table that no one else on the team could bring, especially with Corey Ashe still out. How much slower did Landin look simply because he wasn't Oduro? So Dominic, get in position and beat Keller on Nov. 8, and I'll take back all the bad things I have written about you.

Stuart Holden was solid off the ball, though I would like to see him do more with the ball. He seems to be reverting to the extra pass-happy guy who started the season. I'll say now what I said then: Young man, you have a Howitzer out on the end of that leg. Use it.

6. Draw me with a smiley face. Overall, I am happy with this result tonight. Drawing the away leg and winning at home is a time-honored tradition and I am all for it. If anything, it sent the message that 40K or no, Dynamo is not afraid of this team of no-destiny. What's more, what I saw was a Dynamo squad eager to exorcise once and for all the ghosts of 2008. The team seems focused and ready to do what it needs to do at the Rob Nov. 8. I can't wait. And if anyone knows if Drew is coming, here's a message for you: