Dynamo trade Dominic Oduro to Chicago Fire Dynamo send Oduro packing

Forward dealt to Chicago after blown goal in season opener

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Speedy forward Dominic Oduro, whom Dynamo fans serenaded with boos after a crucial miss in the home opener Saturday, has been traded to the Chicago Fire in exchange for forward Calen Carr.

Carr has been out of action this month recovering from a concussion. If he cannot return from his concussion, the Dynamo will receive a conditional pick in a future MLS SuperDraft for Oduro.

“At the end of the day, it is what it is,” Oduro said. “The coaches know what they want for their teams. Most teams around this league are trying to restructure their teams right now.

“I don’t think there’s anything personal. It’s something that both teams are dealing with in terms of making their teams better.”

Although Oduro was tied for second on the team with five regular-season goals and tied for first with seven goals in all competitions last year, his critics ridiculed him as a poor finisher.

Nonetheless, Oduro had his positive moments for the club. He stepped up late last year and also had a productive run in the 2009 playoffs.

Dominic Oduro was tied for second on the team with five regular-season goals last season. Dominic Oduro was tied for second on the team with five regular-season goals last season. Photo: Michael Paulsen, Chronicle Photo: Michael Paulsen, Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Dynamo trade Dominic Oduro to Chicago Fire 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

“In 2009 when we beat Seattle, his play against Seattle for me was some of his better moments here,” coach Dominic Kinnear said. “So I want to say thanks to him. We wish him luck.”

The fans’ venom toward Oduro was not lost on the Dynamo organization.

A thunderous jeer rang out through the raucous crowd at Robertson Stadium during the home opener Saturday night after Oduro missed a relatively easy scoring opportunity that could have tied the score late against the Philadelphia Union.

In the 69th minute of that 1-0 loss Saturday, midfielder Geoff Cameron brought the crowd to its feet with an impressive individual effort as he dribbled toward the 18-yard box with an array of cuts through the heart of the Union defense. As the Philadelphia defenders descended on him, Cameron found Brad Davis open on the left side.

A splendid setup

Davis then fed Oduro a textbook pass across the mouth of the goal inside the 6-yard box. Davis had kept the ball long enough to pull Philadelphia goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon toward the left edge of the goal. Davis’ pass was on the money with enough weight to leave Mondragon with no hope of stopping Oduro’s shot if the embattled forward had merely tapped the ball in.

Unfortunately for the Dynamo, Oduro airmailed his shot over the crossbar to waste an opportunity that fans, teammates and Kinnear lamented afterward as one that should have been converted.

After the game, Kinnear admitted that miss was one that could leave folks shaking their heads.

“That’s a pretty good chance,” Kinnear said after the loss. “It’s a good play. Great play by Geoff. Good ball by Brad. It’s a chance that you should really expect to score.”

Kinnear wasn’t alone in his assessment. With no malice after accepting his own blame for failing to stop the Union’s first goal, defender Andre Hainault also brought up the miss.

“Dom had a good chance right there,” Hainault said. “That should have been a goal. With that being said, we had other chances. The game could have been different.”

Patience runs out

It’s clear the patience ran out with a Dynamo organization that put in many hours of extra practice in a futile attempt to try to convert Oduro into a quality finisher.

Oduro thought so highly of his skills over the winter that he initially turned down the Dynamo’s contract offer and opted to test his value on the free-agent market in Europe. He eventually landed a tryout in Israel before spending most of late February asking the Dynamo if he could return.

The Dynamo eventually re-signed Oduro with three weeks to go in camp, but patience ran out after the season opener.

Carr, 28, has been limited to 24 games over the last two seasons because of injuries.

jesus.ortiz@chron.com