Dynamo 2sday: Dos finish off Houston’s weekend sweep of LA
(image via Aldo Canale)
After suffering back-to-back defeats, Houston Dynamo 2—led by head coach Marcelo Santos—were looking to bounce back against an LAFC 2 side that had recently endured a heartbreaking extra-time loss to AV Alta FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. With both teams eager to return to winning form, Sunday night’s matchup promised intensity from the outset.
Dynamo Dos lined up with Pedro Cruz between the posts. In defense, Halliday—Michael who joined from the first team—joined Felipe Andrade, Gavin Wolff, and Daniel Barrett. The midfield trio featured Sebastian Rodriguez, Lionel Gitau, and captain Diego Gonzalez, while Mattheo Dimarelli, Gabe Segal (another first-team player), and Exon Arzu led the attack.
In the 14th minute, Arzu took the game’s first shot from distance, but it bent wide of the target. Just moments later, LAFC 2’s Tommy Mihalic slipped through the defense and fired a shot, only to be denied by Cruz—who would go on to earn Man of the Match honors with seven crucial saves. LAFC 2 began creating chances of their own, but neither team could break the deadlock.
LAFC 2 nearly struck in the 27th minute when a through ball found Marius Aiyenereo unmarked on the left. His shot beat Cruz but struck the right post and bounced harmlessly away, with no one there to finish the rebound.
Jude Terry tested Cruz again with a long-range shot soon after, but the keeper was once again up to the task. The first half closed with both sides still searching for a breakthrough.
The second half opened with early pressure from Houston. In the 54th minute, Sebastian Rodriguez whipped a low cross across the face of goal to the back post, where Arzu met it on the volley. LAFC 2 goalkeeper David Ochoa got a fingertip to the shot, pushing it out for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Houston came close again with a shot that narrowly missed the target.
Minutes later, LAFC 2 responded with a counterattack, but their effort went wide. Both teams continued to trade chances, but the finishing touch remained elusive.
In the 58th minute, Arzu created another dangerous moment with a run down the end line before cutting the ball back into the box. Gitau met it with a first-time strike, but the shot flew just over the crossbar—another missed opportunity as the game approached the hour mark.
Houston finally found the breakthrough in the 72nd minute. Under pressure from Segal, goalkeeper Ochoa mishit a pass that landed right at the feet of Gonzalez. Calm and composed, the Dynamo Dos captain slotted the ball home to give his side a 1-0 lead. It was a decisive moment in a tightly contested match, and fittingly, Gonzalez—March’s MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month—was the one to deliver.
Arzu tested Ochoa again from distance a few minutes later, but the LAFC 2 keeper made the save. Despite late pressure from the visitors, Houston's defense held firm, with Cruz making key saves to preserve the narrow lead. The 1-0 result marked not only a vital win but also Dynamo 2's first clean sheet of the season.
Now, the team will enjoy a two-week break, as their scheduled match against Tacoma Defiance has been postponed to September. Houston returns to action on April 23, when they head north to take on Vancouver Whitecaps 2 at 8 PM.
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