Dynamo fall 2-1 to FC Cincinnati in season opener
(image via Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
The Houston Dynamo opened their 2023 season on Saturday night with a 2-1 loss on the road against FC Cincinnati. Tate Schmitt’s header off a corner kick leveled the score just before the break but the Dynamo conceded early in the second half and lost 2-1.
The home side opened the scoring in this game after 19 minutes. Sergio Santos, making his debut for Cincinnati after coming over in a trade from the Philadelphia Union got the game’s first goal. Santos found space in the channel down the left side and Alvaro Barreal played him in with a good through pass. Santos cut and sent his shot past Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark at the near post.
Houston pushed forward after going behind early and looked to have a good case for a penalty kick in the 31st minute. The ball bounced up off a Cincinnati defender’s hand in the box but no call was made. Ivan Franco eventually ended up with the ball and had his shot saved by Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano at close range. VAR decided that the play did not warrant a further look from referee Chris Penso.
The Dynamo did find the equalizer deep into first half stoppage time. Houston won a corner and Hector Herrera whipped an in-swing ball in right to the middle of the Cincinnati box. Left back Tate Schmitt was there to head past Celentano and level the game at 1. It was Schmitt’s first goal for the Dynamo in his first match for Houston.
Cincinnati regained the lead quickly after the start of the second half. Luciano Acosta began the play and he found Barreal to play a cross into the middle. The ball popped out to midfielder Obinna Nwobodo and his shot deflected off Teenage Hadebe and wrong-footed Steve Clark to gave the hosts the lead again after 48 minutes.
Ivan Franco came close to an equalizer in the 65th minute. The Paraguayan, making his debut, found the ball all alone near the penalty spot. He turned quickly and fizzed in a shot that Celentano did brilliantly to tip wide. Thor Ulfarsson came on in the 78th minute for Sebas Ferreira and nearly made an instant impact, his first touch being a shot on goal that was blocked by Santiago Arias. The last of the chances for the Dynamo came in the 85th minute when an Ethan Bartlow rocket from outside the box was pushed aside by Celentano.
The Dynamo will be on the road next weekend, in Foxborough, Massachusetts, to take on the New England Revolution. Houston will then have a week off before coming home for their first match at Shell Energy Stadium against Austin FC on March 18.
