Dynamo 2sday: Dos concede two late goals and lose home opener
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
Colorado Rapids 2 traveled down to Houston to take on Houston Dynamo 2 for a Sunday evening match up. Colorado would give Houston their first loss at the newly named SaberCats Stadium, by a score of 2-1. This comeback victory earned Colorado the “Team of Matchday 2” recognition in MLS NEXT Pro.
The first half of the match remained scoreless thanks to Abraham Rodriguez, the Colorado Rapids 2 goalkeeper. Rodriguez saved everything thrown at him in the first half, giving “Tim Howard in the 2014 FIFA World Cup” vibes. Dynamo Dos used the flanks properly, taking advantage of the speed of Djevencio van der Kust and his great partnership on the left side with Isaiah Reid. Houston ended the half with 8 crosses, in which more than half were very dangerous. It goes to show how busy van Der Kurt /Reid on the left and Papa N’Doye/Jathan Juarez on the right were to keep Colorado on their heels. Houston ended the half with 8 shots, 5 on goal, but Rodriguez made multiple saves to keep the score all tied up at the end of the half.
Midfielder Juan Castilla, after missing the first game versus Austin FC II due to international duty with Colombia, looked very comfortable commanding the midfield and at times hitting some great switches across the field to find runners down the flanks. Colorado had glimpses of danger in their attack as well when their very skillful and quick midfielder Marlon Vargas would get on the ball. At times it just seemed like he could run 30 to 40 yards down the field with the ball, like the ball was glued to his feet. In the 35th minute Colorado had their most dangerous moment off a corner, when after a serious of rebounds the ball ended up in the back of the net. The goal got called back due to an offside call but this was a reminder than Houston couldn’t let their guard down, no matter how often and dangerous they had been in that first half. Colorado could always surprise them with a counter or a dead ball.
The second half started a little more even for both teams. There were a few shots on goal for both sides and great interventions by both goalkeepers until the 68th minute. A great run down the touch line by Isaiah LeFlore and a textbook pass back into the top of the six-yard box found the “goleador” Talen Maples. The captain center back for Dynamo Dos took one touch to set up the shot and a second to put the ball in the back of the net to give the Dynamo the first goal of the night.
Xavier Valdez was called on to make a huge save in the 79th minute. It could have been the save of the night to keep the score 1-0 and give the victory to the Dynamo, but Colorado had other plans.
The 87th minute would be the beginning to the end of a what seemed to be three points in the bag for Dynamo Dos. Colorado’s equalizer came from a long corner kick to the back, where Blake Malone would head the ball back into the mix. The ball found its way to Yosuke Hanya for a close range shot which he would turn into the equalizer.
It seemed like everything was going to be dictated from the penalty spot but a long ball over the top of the defense in the 92nd minute would prove otherwise. The ball found Colorado’s Caique and put him one on one against Valdez. Caique played a one touch shot into the back of the net to give all the points to the Rapids, who get their second victory of this short season and their first on the road. On the other hand, Dynamo 2 now drop to 0-2, as they lost their second game in a row when they were ahead on the scoreboard. Keeping a lead is turning into an issue that coach Kenny Bundy will need to address.
Bundy spoke after the match about his team conceding in the last few minutes of the match. “It’s the second game in a row where we conceded in the last 10 minutes and that's a principle of ours,” Bundy said. “That's a core value; we don't want to concede in the last 10 minutes. No matter if we're winning 4 - 0, or we're losing 1- 0 and we're pushing the game. It's making sure that we lock down chances in the last 10 minutes. There's a lot of self-reflection I have to do. I have to be very critical of myself and what needs to improve. I know the players will, I can see them and they're really disappointed and frustrated and maybe kind of at a loss of why this has happened two weeks in a row.”
I would also like to point out that in the 82nd minute of play the game was stopped for a 60 second break, so those players that observe Ramadan could break their fast. Ramadan is a month-long holiday where those who follow and practice the Muslim faith fast from sunrise to sundown. So, the league provided the opportunity for these athletes to break fast and get hydrated right at sunset. This was a great move by MLS NEXT Pro to honor the diversity in our beautiful game.
Houston will now travel to St. Louis CITY2 on a quick turnaround, on Friday, April 7th, to try and get their first points of the season against a CITY2 team who also haven’t been able to win a match. You can watch the match on Apple TV - MLS Season Pass.
