2008 Season: Mediocre Start; Stunning Finish
The Dynamo started early competing in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship debuted on February 20, 2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Houston qualified to participate in the tournament via their win as MLS Cup Champions. The Houston Dynamo won their first match against Sydney FC, before finishing second place after their 6-1 loss to Gamba Osaka in the final match. The club also competed in the Texas Pro Soccer Festival presented by Touch-Tel featuring four Major League Soccer teams (Houston, DC United, Toronto, and Chivas USA) during an electrifying week of double-header exhibition games, events, and daily practices. The Houston Dynamo were declared winners of the tournament after a tiebreaker in goal difference was needed between them and D.C. United. Shortly following the Texas Pro Soccer Festival, the Dynamo was back on the pitch competing in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (qualifying via 2007 MLS Cup Champions). The Dynamo played Municipal in the Quarterfinals winning 3-1 on aggregate (0-0, 3-1) at Robertson Stadium. The club would lose to Deportivo Saprissa on 3-0 aggregate (0-0, 0-3) at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa.
The Houston Dynamo opened its home opener with a high scoring 3-3 draw with Texas Derby rival, FC Dallas, after falling behind twice (1-2 & 2-3) and getting a game-tying goal from Geoff Cameron in the 93rd minute. The Dynamo went 0-2-4 before getting their first league win of the season in a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. The Dynamo went on a roller coaster ride throughout the season before going on a 5-0-4 run to finish the season 13-5-12, claiming 1st in the Western Conference and 2nd overall (behind the Columbus Crew). The Western Conference Semifinals was played against the New York Red Bulls with the first leg finishing in a 1-1 draw at Giants Stadium and the second leg moving to Robertson Stadium where the Red Bulls stunned the Dynamo in a 0-3 defeat in front of more than 30,000 fans. The Red Bulls would go to MLS Cup 2008 where they would lose to Columbus.
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