'Green' Orange fullbacks face stiff test
Chabala, Hainault short on playoff experience, long on talent
Related
- Game 1: HOU 0, SEA 0
Watch
- West semifinal shifts to Houston
Watch
- Mike Chabala bio
- Andrew Hainault bio
- Complete playoffs coverage
Both players saw playing time this year during the season due primarily to injuries. Hainault, probably a more natural center back, replaced right back Richard Mulrooney when he suffered a season-ending injury. Chabala filled in at times when Wade Barrett was injured, but over the past quarter of the MLS season, he has quietly held down the starting left back spot even after Barrett returned from injury.
As a result, both were thrown into their first MLS playoff games in last Thursday's match in Seattle and both truly enjoyed the experience.
"It was amazing," said Chabala, who attended the University of Washington in Seattle. "It was everything I thought it would be and more. I couldn't pick a better away place to play in terms of the atmosphere and the fact that I went to school there and I had a lot of friends there. It was a tough game, but from start to finish I had a smile on my face as I was enjoying every minute."
"It was exciting," said Hainault. "I thought we did well, the result was good. We weren't popping champagne because we know that there is still work to do, but we put ourselves in a good position."
The Dynamo have put themselves into a good position after the first leg draw in Seattle, but to advance they will have to keep the Seattle attack at bay. To do so, Chabala and Hainault might have to carry a heavier burden than normal as the Sounders FC combination on the wings of Freddie Ljungberg, Steve Zakuani and Nate Jaqua are among the most difficult matchups for the Dynamo.
"Zakauani can turn the game with his pace and Nate and Ljungberg are very good players," said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. "If you look around, they are pretty complete across the front. Every guy has a little something different. It's tough."
As for how the Dynamo's green outside backs did in their first playoff games?
"I thought they came through all right," said Kinnear. "To come out with a shutout ... I think the guys should be proud overall of the effort they put out in both sides of the ball."
For the Dynamo, defending is a team effort and both Hainault and Chabala credit their teammates for some of the help they get defensively. "Bobby [Boswell] was good and Brian Mullan was unbelievable the way he tracks back," said Hainault. "There were two times when he [Zakuani] got in early in the game where I was a little out of position when we turned the ball over, but other than that, I was all right."
Chabala frequently stays late at practice and puts in extra work, which has been paying dividends for the young defender as he has been enjoying his transition from reserve to starter.
"It's been a great year and it's exceeded my expectations," Chabala said. "I want to be the best left back in the league and to do that you have to win. My goal is to make sure I do everything possible to make sure we win the MLS Cup and to do whatever Dom [Kinnear] asks me to do to the best of my ability."
Dwain Capodice is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
