Ching's goal lifts Dynamo to 1-0 win over Seattle

By CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON — Naturally, the top two defensive teams in the MLS
fought to a scoreless tie for 90 minutes with their seasons on
the line.

Brian Ching broke the deadlock with what he called one of the
greatest shots of his career.

Ching scored six minutes into overtime and the Houston Dynamo
advanced to the Western Conference final for the third time in
four years with a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.

The teams both allowed only 29 goals in the regular season, the
lowest in MLS. They tied 0-0 in the first leg of their two-game
semifinal on Oct. 29, setting up the winner-take-all match in
Houston.

Houston defender Mike Chabala set up the winning shot with a
high cross from the left. The ball deflected off midfielder
Brian Mullan and right to Ching, who beat goalkeeper Kasey
Keller with a shot to the top left corner.

“I just kind of turned and hit one of the best shots of my
life,” Ching said. “I was happy to see that go in.”

The Dynamo advances to the single-game West final to face the
winner of the Chivas USA-Los Angeles match later Sunday. Houston
improved to 5-1 at home in the playoffs and 9-1-6 at home this
season.

Houston won the MLS championships in 2006 and ‘07, and Ching
said the team drew on that experience as Sunday’s game wore on.

“We’ve put expectations on ourselves,” said Ching, the
franchise’s all-time leader in playoff goals (6). “Every year,
we’re one of those teams that realistically feels like we’re one
of those teams that can win the MLS Cup. The proof is in our
results.”

The Sounders, an expansion team, wrapped up their inaugural
season by losing to Houston for the first time in five games
(2-1-2).

“We attributed ourselves really well, and the city was
phenomenally behind us,” Keller said. “Now we have to take the
pill of not winning this time and we have to go out and spend
the offseason thinking about how we’re going to make it better.”

Seattle defender James Riley earned a red card in the final
minute of overtime after tripping Ricardo Clark. The teams
exchanged words at midfield before referee Jorge Gonzalez got in
the middle of the crowd.

Houston outshot Seattle 15-10.

Dominic Oduro had three of Houston’s nine first-half shots,
including a drive off the left post in the 23rd minute. The
24-year-old forward from Ghana caught up to a long pass from
Stuart Holden in the 30th minute, but his shot crossed just in
front of the goal.

“I don’t think we panicked,” Ching said. “We were just a little
unlucky on a lot of opportunities in the first half.”

Seattle’s best chances in the first half came on counterattacks,
before the Dynamo’s defense could get set.

Fredy Montero ran past a Houston defender, but his close range
shot went into the side of the net. Steve Zakuani sent a cross
into the goal area in the 36th minute and Houston’s Geoff
Cameron nearly deflected it into the net for an own goal.

Pat Onstad made a diving stop on Montero’s shot in the 57th
minute, one of the few scoring chances for either team in the
second half.

“We knocked on the door a few times,” Keller said, “but we just
couldn’t sustain enough pressure.”

The Dynamo were back in the same position as they were last
season, hosting a decisive game in the West semifinals. They
tied New York 1-1 in the first game last year, then lost 3-0 in
Houston.