Dynamo 2sday: Dos win 8 goal thriller in Utah
(image via Real Monarchs)
Dynamo 2 head coach Kenny Bundy spoke to the media a few days before the match versus Real Monarchs, knowing that his team are going into the last 10 matches of the season and the temperature isn’t the only thing going up. The competition and intensity for a playoff spot push is heating up as well. “The goal for this week is to score first and for multiple goals,” Bundy said. “We've done enough in a number of games this year to score multiple goals and put ourselves on that front and there's a lot of things that go into it, but we haven't been able to do that and it changes the momentum and the flow of the game.”
Coming into the match, Houston Dynamo 2 were best team in MLS NEXT Pro when it came to attacking in transition. On the other hand, Real Monarchs was worst team when it came to defending in transition. With that piece of information and knowing that Houston had never lost to Real Monarchs, only conceding one goal in three matches, it could have brought a false sense of security for Dos. “It's really important to focus on each game specifically by itself but understand that these are all playoff games,” Bundy said. “These are games that there's a lot on the table.”
The game would get off to a hot start for the home side. In the 10th minute, Charles Auguste was not able to hold the ball under pressure from Amferny Arias. The Monarchs player took the ball away from the Dynamo midfielder as one takes candy from a child. He took a shot from outside the box, keeping it low and making it tough for Xavier Valdez to get to it. The ball found the back of the net to give the home team a 1-0 lead.
The visitors would try to get a goal back for themselves and they would find what they were looking for soon after. Jacob Evans, who in my opinion was the best player of the match offensively even without scoring any goals, made a run inside the box. Evans was able to drop off the ball to Brooklyn Raines who managed to get the ball to the feet of Papa Ndoye. The Houston striker got a shot of with his left foot to beat Monarchs goalkeeper Tomas Gomez and give Dos the equalizer in the 20th minute.
With the momentum of the first goal, Houston kept playing very good soccer. Real Monarchs were getting some moments of their own. In the 40th minute of play, a shot from outside the box from Diego Gonzalez went just wide. When everything seemed to be winding down for the first half the home team had a chance of their own that went over the crossbar.
Both squads had gotten a chance to go to halftime on top and just as the referee was about to blow her whistle, the Dynamo would lose the ball trying to play out of the back. The Monarchs executed the perfect counterattack. The ball ended up in the middle of the box for 17-year-old Jude Wellings to score with a point-blank shot to send the home side to halftime with a 2-1 lead.
The second half would start early on with some good action from Dynamo 2. Pressure from Raines in the midfield lead to a turnover and a goal from halftime substitute Isaiah Reid to level things up at 2-2 in the 48th minute.
The Monarchs wouldn’t stayed level for long as Cayne Madhlangove would blast a banger from outside the box to give the home team their third goal of the match in the 58th minute of play. Houston would answer right back as the referee pointed to the spot. Ndoye took the chance from the 12 steps for his second goal of the night to tie the match at 3-3.
Houston would take their first lead of the night only a minute later via Reid. Evans pushed the ball into the box and found Reid in the middle. The first-year pro took a shot with his first touch to put Houston in front 4-3. What a goal fest it was in Utah, an exciting game by these two teams.
Dynamo Dos kept pushing and had many more chances in the next few minutes. Ndoye almost had this third, Talen Maples sent a header just wide, and then Gonzalez had a shot just over the crossbar.
As the night was coming to an end, the Dynamo looked to put the game away. Another great run and pass by Evans left Ndoye one on one with the goalkeeper and he beat Gomez to seal his hat trick and give Houston a 5-3 win.
The match was a great team effort, with lots of pressure and great individual moments form multiple players. It was a great victory for Houston Dynamo 2 as they continue to push for the playoffs. At the end of the weekend of play in MLS NEXT Pro, Houston now sit in 6th place in the Western Conference.
Dynamo Dos return to play at SaberCats Stadium on Sunday, August 6 to host Sporting KC II at 6:00 PM. Houston will have a quick turnaround as they then travel to take on Colorado on Wednesday, August 9 at 7:00 PM.
As always, VAMOS LOS PIBES!!! HOUSTON CONTRA TODOS!!!
