Dynamo 2sday: Dos open 2025 season with 3-1 win
(image via Aldo Canale)
Houston Dynamo 2 began their fourth season in MLS NEXT Pro this past Saturday with a match against Western Conference rivals, Sporting Kansas City II and got off to a winning start.
Under the leadership of new head coach Marcelo Santos, who joins Houston after seven years with the New England Revolution, Dynamo Dos looks to make a strong showing this season. Santos' appointment was praised by Dynamo Assistant General Manager Nick Kowba, who said, “Marcelo has a proven track record of developing professional and international players and will be a champion for our style of play and soccer philosophy in MLS NEXT Pro. Dynamo Dos is a crucial steppingstone in our club’s player pathway, and we’re confident Marcelo will continue our tradition of providing opportunities for Academy players and preparing international talent for MLS. We welcome Marcelo and his family to Houston and are excited to begin the 2025 MLS Next Pro season.”
This season, Dynamo 2 features a number of new faces, and the starting lineup for their opener reflected those changes. Santos went with Brazilian newcomer Pedro Cruz in goal. He was supported by a back line of Daniel Barrett, Isaac Mwakatuya, and Micah Harris. Another Brazilian newcomer, Felipe Andrade, is a center back but spent a lot of the game in the midfield, along with Sebastian Rodriguez, Mattheo Dimareli, and Lukas Bruegmann. The front three was Diego Gonzalez, the captain, Fadel Kone, and Andy Batioja.
The match started with Sporting Kansas City getting an early chance. In the 5th minute, they scored from a corner kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Shortly after, in the 8th minute, Batioja had a close opportunity when his shot/cross hit the crossbar. The Colombian forward would continue to be a threat throughout the match.
Sporting Kansas City had another big chance in the 22nd minute when a runner got behind Mwakatuya, but Dynamo 2’s new goalkeeper, Pedro Cruz, was quick to make a crucial save and keep the score 0-0.
In the 23rd minute, Houston finally broke the deadlock. A long ball from Rodriguez found Batioja running down the left side. After a one-on-one with a Sporting defender, Batioja managed to get a low cross into the box, and thanks to a deflection off another defender, the ball found its way into the net. This goal marked the first of the season for Dynamo Dos, with Batioja celebrating his impressive individual effort.
(image via Aldo Canale)
In the second half, Sporting Kansas City had several more chances, but Cruz continued to shine in goal. In the 49th minute, he came off his line quickly to block a shot from Medgy Alexandre. Later, in the 54th and 59th minutes, Cruz made two more key saves—one from a shot inside the box and another from a strike at his near post.
The game’s second goal came in the 71st minute. A poor goal kick from Sporting’s goalkeeper Jack Kortkamp landed right at Rodriguez’s feet. He passed quickly to Gonzalez, who set up Dimareli for a one-on-one finish between the legs of the goalkeeper, putting Dynamo Dos ahead 2-0.
In the 75th minute, the home side extended their lead to 3-0, capitalizing on more high-pressure play. Once again, Kortkamp made a risky pass, which Rodriguez intercepted and coolly placed in the bottom corner of the net.
Unfortunately, Houston wasn’t able to keep a clean sheet. In the 83rd minute, Sporting Kansas City got on the board with a cross from the left side that found Beckham Uderitz in front of goal, and he tapped it in to make it 3-1.
Next up for Dynamo 2 is a match against the reigning MLS NEXT Pro champions, North Texas SC, in the first Texas Derby of the season. The game will take place on March 23 at 6:00 PM at SaberCats Stadium in Houston. Dynamo Dos will look to build on their opening win, while North Texas SC, coming off a 3-0 defeat to St. Louis CITY 2, will be eager to bounce back.
