Anatomy of a goal: Aliyu and Coco connect again
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
The Houston Dynamo earned their first win of the 2024 MLS season, beating the Portland Timbers 1-0 Saturday night at Shell Energy Stadium. The lone goal from the game came after a bit of magic from the outside of Coco Carrasquilla’s right foot and Aliyu Ibrahim making a dangerous run to be in the right place at the right time.
Today we’re breaking down Aliyu’s goal. All the images we’re using are from the Apple TV broadcast and Major League Soccer’s YouTube highlight video.
The play begins with the ball making it’s way wide right to Griffin Dorsey (circle). Amine Bassi (rectangle) and Franco Escobar (diamond) are the two Dynamo players the highest up the field, that we can see in this shot.
Dorsey plays the ball back to Sebastian Kowalczyk (circle) and he looks up to survey his options. There are six Portland players (rectangle) in and around the box marking the two Dynamo players in the attack.
Kowalczyk (circle) turns his hips to shift the play inside. Coco Carrasquilla is attempting to make a run into the channel (arrow) but Kowalczyk’s passing lane is blocked off.
Kowalczyk lays the ball back to Jan Gregus (circle) and Portland defender Kamal Miller (rectangle) immediately pushes the Timbers defense up to the edge of their box.
Gregus sends the ball back to the right touchline to Dorsey (circle). Kowalczyk (diamond) has looped all the way inside and is now calling for the ball as he tries to run between Portland defenders. Carrasquilla and Bassi (arrows) are checking back to give Dorsey another option and create space for Kowalczyk to run into.
Dorsey plays the ball to the feet of Bassi who has Coco right with him (circle) to set up a quick one-two. We now see Aliyu Ibrahim (rectangle) come into view from wide on the left.
Bassi leaves the ball for Coco (circle) and he immediately gets his head up to see Aliyu (rectangle) with his hand up and space to run into (arrow).
Coco plays an insane trivela with the outside of his right foot (circle). Aliyu (rectangle) has done well to hold his run and stay onside as he can see the line of defenders and the space where Coco is attempting to play the ball (star).
Coco’s pass makes its way just past the penalty spot and Portland defender Juan Mosquera retreats back to get the first touch on it (circle). Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau also read the pass and came off his line for the ball but never got to it.
The ball bounces away from Mosquera and Crepeau and Aliyu is there to clean up their mess and smash the ball (circle) into an empty net.
From the side angle we can see another view of what Coco (circle) saw when he got the ball. Aliyu has his hand up ready to make his run (arrow) with Mosquera (rectangle) flat-footed on the edge of the 18.
We also see from the side angle Aliyu pressuring the pass (circle) and Mosquera’s touch to take the ball away from his goalkeeper, Crepeau, who never got near it.
