Dynamo demolish Whitecaps to inch closer to playoffs
(image via Billy Mears)
With the games piling up on the Houston Dynamo schedule, and a road trip on the horizon, tonight’s game against the Vancouver Whitecaps was a big one. After Saturday’s draw with St. Louis, the Dynamo welcomed another high-flying offense to Shell Energy Stadium. The Dynamo defense has smothered most opponents this season and they did the same on Wednesday night. Hector Herrera and Griffin Dorsey added the offense and it all added up to a 2-0 win for the Dynamo.
Coco Carrasquilla and Franco Escobar had to sit this match out because of yellow card accumulation and Amine Bassi picked up a knock on Saturday, according to the broadcast, which forced head coach Ben Olsen into some changes. Teenage Hadebe returned from injury and started in place of Escobar on the left of the defense. Sebastian Kowalczyk and Luis Caicedo came into the midfield.
With his midfield running buddies Carrasquilla and Bassi out, captain Hector Herrera stepped to the plate to provide some offense. The Mexican international opened the scoring in the 13th minute to get the Dynamo off and running. Herrera’s free kick from outside the box was deflected off Brian White and sent goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka the wrong way, leaving him no chance to make a save. Herrera wheeled away in celebration and the Dynamo had a 1-0 lead.
Houston continued to push as the game became physical on both sides. Artur got into the box and swiveled to take a shot that Takaoka saved. The Dynamo doubled their lead as the half came to a close, thanks to their marauding right back. After Steve Clark made a save, Houston quickly countered and the ball made its way to the feet of Griffin Dorsey. The Dynamo defender drove into the box and with no Whitecaps closing him down curled a shot with his left foot. The ball floated perfectly past Takaoka to give the Dynamo a 2-0 lead in the 44th minute.
The second half was more of what this Dynamo team has become at home, a suffocating defense with opportune offense. Brad Smith and Ivan Franco checked into the game in the 56th minute and the duo combined on the Dynamo’s third goal in the 73rd. Another counter saw Smith burst down the left side as Franco sprinted forward in the middle. The Australian played an inch perfect cross into the path of Franco who bent down to sent a diving header into the side netting. The Dynamo’s lead was 3-0 and there was no turning back. Houston had another huge three points in the bag.
Just for good measure, the Dynamo would add a 4th goal in the 84th minute to complete the dominant performance. Smith once again bombarded down the left and his deflected cross landed at the feet of Herrera. The Dynamo captain was wiped out from behind but the ball fell to substitute Aliyu Ibrahim who finished from close range to make it 4-0. Herrera came out of the match for Brooklyn Raines moments later but looked to be ok, walking off under his own power without any noticeable limp.
Vancouver would find a consolation goal late as defender Erik Sviatchenko bundled a cross into his own net to make the final score 4-1.
The Dynamo will now travel to Kansas City for a visit with SKC on Saturday. After that, it’s on to Miami for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup final. Tonight’s win moves the Dynamo to 4th in the Western Conference (at the time of this writing) with 43 points. Houston is just two points behind second place Seattle, with one game less played. There are still games to be played, and a possible trophy to win, but 43 points seems pretty safe to see a return to the postseason for the first time since 2017. It’s been a long time coming but the Houston Dynamo are finally, once again, cooking.
