Houston Dynamo 2024 player report cards: Steve Clark
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
We’re continuing our 2024 report card series, recapping each Dynamo and Dash player’s season. Today we look at goalkeeper Steve Clark.
2024 Grade: B+
2024 by the numbers (MLS play)
Appearances: 31
Minutes played: 2772
Clean Sheets: 8
Saves: 94
Goals Against: 34
G+ per 96: 0.21
2024 in review
Even at 38 years old, Steve Clark put up a solid year once again for the Houston Dynamo. He finished 4th best in Major League Soccer in goals allowed per 90 minutes, had the second best save percentage, and posted the sixth most clean sheets. In the advanced metric of Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed, which measures how many expected goals are saved, Clark ranked third in MLS with a positive 6.9, only behind 2024 Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina and 2023 Goalkeeper of the Year Roman Burki.
Clark is still an elite shot stopper but his Krytponite is penalty kicks. Unfortunately, both Dynamo playoff games went to penalty kicks and the Seattle Sounders went 12 for 12 from the spot to eliminate Houston. Clark saved one of 18 penalties in his three seasons in Houston, during regular season play. He also saved two against Real Salt Lake in the playoffs last year. It’s hard to fault a goalkeeper for not saving a penalty but for whatever reason, Clark has been very poor at them.
Steve kept the Dynamo in a number of games this season with some incredible saves that defied physics at times. His reflexes and athleticism have not diminished and we can see that in the numbers he put up this season. But Father Time waits for no one and the Dynamo have decided to not wait for it to show up at Clark’s doorstep.
Moment of the season
(image via Travis Gallipo)
Clark’s most memorable save this season had to be the one in Minnesota where he seemed to reach back and pull the ball out of the goal. Steve finished with five saves in that game but none bigger than the one that secured three points on the road and left Griffin Dorsey in shock.
Looking forward
Clark’s option was declined and the club did not reach a deal on a new contract with him, meaning his time in Houston has come to an end. Clark joined the Dynamo as a free agent before the 2022 season, when not a lot of people would have seen the vision for the club, and in his three years he helped get Houston back into the conversation in Major League Soccer. For that, Dynamo fans will always be grateful to Clark. On a personal level, for us here at BCS, we want to wish Steve all the best in his next chapter.
