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Immovable object or (not so) unstoppable force? That was the overall theme Saturday night for the Houston Dynamo and Colorado Rapids, which battled to a 0-0 draw, despite combining for 18 shots and three on-target efforts apiece.

Here are three takeaways from Colorado’s draw with Houston:

Early returns

At first glance, the release of Colorado’s second leading scorer, Joe Mason, in exchange for Giles Barnes – a player who had become a journeyman in MLS – was a headscratcher.

But Saturday night showed the 29-year-old Jamaican international still has something to offer. In 52 minutes of action, he produced two shots on goal and looked threatening on the counterattack, setting up opportunities for Dominique Badji.

For Anthony Hudson, who typically shows restraint in bringing new players into the starting XI, giving Barnes the start was a “no brainer.”

“We were confident that he’s had a preseason,” Hudson said of Barnes’ fitness. “He played a couple of games in preseason. Given the situation that we’re in, we’ve needed a lift and a presence higher up the pitch. In the end [starting Barnes] was an easy decision for me.”

>>>Watch: Highlights from the match