Dynamo 2sday: Dos head to Decision Day battling for playoff spot

(image via Houston Dynamo 2)

Houston Dynamo 2 traveled to the Pacific Northwest to face a familiar foe, Tacoma Defiance. Tacoma, seeking to improve their position in the standings for that coveted home-field advantage, boasted the best home record in MLS NEXT Pro, making their playoff prospects significantly stronger. Given this context and the historical rivalry between Houston and Tacoma, Dos knew this match would not be an easy task.

Raul Miglietti’s brace accounted for the only goals of the night, securing victory for the home team. The first goal came in the 64th minute shortly after Miglietti entered the game; he skillfully beat his defender and connected with a cross from Burke Fahling. His second goal, completing the brace, arrived in the dying moments when a ball was sent over the heads of the Houston defenders. With Dynamo 2 goalkeeper Xavier Valdez out of position, Miglietti deftly touched the ball over him, sealing the match and extinguishing any hopes of a late equalizer for Dynamo Dos.

Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for Houston. Valdez recorded five crucial saves, while Diego Gonzalez and Kieran Sargeant each created three scoring opportunities. Exon Arzu also forced a diving save from the Tacoma goalkeeper in the 74th minute.

With this defeat, Dynamo 2 slipped to ninth place in the standings with 36 points, just outside the playoff picture. Real Monarchs secured a vital 2-0 victory against direct rivals Portland Timbers 2, pushing them into eighth place with 37 points, while Portland fell to twelfth with 35 points. Austin FC II gained ground with a shutout win over Vancouver Whitecaps, placing them tenth with 36 points. Vancouver had already clinched a playoff spot before this match. Additionally, Sporting Kansas City II faced North Texas SC, with North Texas winning in a penalty shootout. However, Sporting’s point kept them in contention, sitting eleventh with 35 points.

Decision Day in MLS NEXT Pro promises to be exciting, with five playoff spots still up for grabs in the Eastern Conference and just one remaining vacancy in the West, contested by five teams.

The key matchups in the Western Conference include:

- Houston hosting Vancouver

- Real Monarchs facing Ventura City FC

- Austin hosting The Town FC

- Sporting Kansas City II hosting LAFC 2

- Portland traveling to Colorado

All the matches will kick off simultaneously at 3 PM on Sunday, October 6th, and can be viewed on Apple TV - MLS Season Pass. As always, #VamosDos!