Califf's goal gives Union win in season opener

Daily News Staff Report
Posted: March 21, 2011

Danny Califf scored in the fifth minute and the Union opened its second season with a 1-0 win over the Dynamo on Saturday night in Houston.

Califf converted a rebound off a shot by Sebastien Le Toux, which had bounced off the crossbar. Le Toux' shot came off a long throw-in hit from Sheanon Williams.

Veteran Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon stopped three shots on the Union goal in his debut with the team. He was also wearing the armband as the team's captain. Last season, the Union did not have a shutout until Sept. 11, and had just two for the 30-game MLS season.

The win is also half the total of road wins the team had in its expansion season.

"We always wait for the first goal," Union manager Peter Nowak told the team's website. "Going into the first game, it's always a question mark. Danny [Califf] played a very good game [Saturday] with Carlos Valdes in the middle [on defense]. They got a couple of good blocks from shots. It's great for him and great for the team."

Carlos Ruiz, the former MLS MVP who was signed late in preseason training, and Valdes drew Union yellow cards.

The Union is off until its home opener Saturday afternoon (4 o'clock) when it hoststhe Vancouver Whitecaps, one of MLS' two 2011 expansion teams, at PPL Park. The Whitecaps opened the league's battle for Canada with a 4-2 win over Toronto FC on Saturday night.

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