Houston Dynamo and Toronto played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in their MLS clash on Saturday.
The home side took the lead in the 11th minute when Will Bruin capitalised on a poor back-pass from Bradley Orr and slotted the ball into an empty net.
Joe Bendik kept the visitors in the game with a great save to deny Brad Davis as his low effort nearly found the corner before the keeper got down low to make the one-handed stop.
Toronto equalised a minute later as Gilberto collected a knockdown from Michael Bradley and found space to rifle a shot into the bottom corner past Tally Hall.
However, the Dynamo rallied and retook the lead through Giles Barnes as he picked up the ball in midfield and then drove a powerful effort from 25 yards, which beat the outstretched hand of Bendik.
The visitors were handed the chance to get back into the game when Corey Ashe brought down Luke Moore in the area and a penalty was awarded. Bradley took the spot kick, but saw his shot hit the post and bounce clear.
Toronto did get their equaliser just before the break when Moore raided down the left and managed to lift a pinpoint cross for Dominic Oduro, who guided the ball in from close range with his chest.
In the second half, Moore came close to handing his side the lead when he turned his man and hit a low shot towards the bottom corner, which forced an excellent save out of Hall.
The visitors kept up the pressure on the Dynamo goal and should have gone ahead when Bradley broke upfield and found Oduro on the right. The forward crossed the ball into the area but Jermain Defoe and Moore got in each other's way and couldn't find the net.
Houston responded to this threat as Andrew Driver raided down the right and found Bruin, who tried to fire a shot in at the near post, but Bendik made an excellent stop to beat the ball away.
Davis had one final effort to try to win the game for the Dynamo when he found space on the left, but Bendik managed to scramble out of his net to make the save with his feet to earn his side a point.
Simon Sinclair
