FC Dallas comes from behind to stun Dynamo at rainy Shell Energy Stadium
(image via Omar Duran)
The Houston Dynamo opened the 2025 Major League Soccer season at Shell Energy Stadium Saturday night under rainy skies. Houston’s lineup saw a number of changes from 2024 with new signing Jack McGlynn slotting into the lineup and Femi Awodesu making his MLS debut for an injured Erik Sviatchenko.
Houston opened the scoring after 18 minutes with McGlynn getting the play started. The new Dynamo player swung the ball cross-field to Griffin Dorsey on the right. Dorsey played a quick one-two with Sebastian Kowalczyk then fired the ball into the box. Ezequiel Ponce was first to it and headed down toward goal. Amine Bassi cleaned it up on the doorstep and put the ball away to give Houston the 1-0 lead.
Possession was equal in the first half as Dallas tried to find inroads through their new marquee signing Luciano Acosta. Awodesu and Ethan Bartlow, in the center of the Dynamo defense, held firm for the first minutes to keep the away side off the score sheet. The teams retreated to dry off and get warm as the halftime whistle blew with Houston ahead 1-0.
The rain continued to fall as the second half began and Dallas got a fortuitous break to find the equalizer. Tarbell made a good ave to keep the visitors out in the 52nd minute but Dallas remained on the front foot. Bartlow received a short pass from goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell and played the ball back in front of goal, right to Dallas striker Petar Musa. The Croatian calmly slotted past Tarbell to tie the game 1-1 in the 55th minute.
Houston pushed to regain their lead as Nicolas Lodeiro came on for his Dynamo debut in the 62nd minute, replacing Aliyu Ibrahim. McGlynn came close to scoring on his debut, pinging the post with a left-footed shot from outside the box in the 73rd minute.
Dallas found the winner in the 76th minute after a lightning quick counter-attack. McGlynn went down at the top of the Dallas box looking for a call but the referee wasn’t having it. Dallas fired the ball up field to a streaking Anderson Julio. Bartlow couldn’t retreat to catch him and Tarbell came way out of his box, allowing Julio to go around him. The substitute put the ball into the empty net to put the away side in front.
Houston could not find a winner and the final whistle blew, sending the Dynamo to a 2-1 home loss in the opening match of the season. The Dynamo will return to Shell Energy Stadium next weekend as they’ll look to rebound from this loss. Houston will host Inter Miami on Sunday, March 2.
