Houston Dynamo vs Real Salt Lake player ratings
(image via Aldo Canale)
The Dynamo fell 2-1 at home to Real Salt Lake in their third consecutive home defeat. Let’s take a look at how everyone performed.
Starters
Andrew Tarbell-6 (6.13 avg)
Andrew was only able to play the first 35 minutes before picking up what looked to be a nasty injury. He only made one save in those 35 minutes and conceded a goal that no goalkeeper was ever going to save.
Griffin Dorsey-6.5 (6.75 avg)
A very average game for Dorsey which is becoming the norm this season. Similarly to the last three games, he got forward well but lacked the delivery required to create goals. He also was only alright defensively.
Ethan Bartlow-7.5 MOTM (6.25 avg)
Another good game for Ethan Bartlow who has found his footing in the 2025 season. He defended well all game and was very aggressive going forward and helping his team in possession.
Obafemi Awodesu-2 (6 avg)
Femi had his second poor game of the season with some high school level defending on the first goal leading to two wide open RSL players against Tarbell. He also tracked the run poorly on the second goal where Diego Luna made it look like he was not even on the field.
Franco Escobar-8.5 (6 avg)
Escobar was incredible on the day, covering so much ground on both sides of the ball. He was aggressive with and without the ball giving the Dynamo that edge they have missed when he was injured.
Artur-7 (6.25 avg)
This was your usual 7/10 Artur performance that we have seen so much over the years. He was solid with the ball and played some good defense especially in the second half. However, nothing special to give him a higher score.
Jack McGlynn-9 (6.5 avg)
What a game for Jack McGlynn where he was back to looking like the right guy to replace Hector Herrera in the team. He covered so much ground and picked up the ball whenever and wherever he could. He delivered the set piece to Ponce to open the score in the first half.
Amine Bassi-8.5 (6.38 avg)
This is the Amine Bassi we want to see on a weekly basis. His movement and passing was superb and he created so many chances for the Dynamo. He was all over the attacking third making slick passes and opening up lanes for his teammates with some great off ball movement. Unfortunate not to score or assist in this game.
Sebastian Kowalczyk-5 (5.88 avg)
Kowalczyk looked absolutely lost in a lot of moments in this game. His off the ball positioning was very poor on the left wing and created a lot of counter-attacking situations where there was zero outlet. His defensive work ability to draw fouls is what kept this performance from being a disaster.
Nicolas Lodeiro-4 (5.5 avg)
I am not sure what the point of having Bassi, Kowalczyk, and Lodeiro on the field together is when Lodeiro becomes almost useless when he is not a ball dominant player. His passing was woeful on the day, barely completing 60% of his attempts. He just didn’t command the ball enough or create anything of note outside the Ponce header that went wide.
Ezequiel Ponce-8 (5.88 avg)
Ponce has finally arrived on the scoresheet with a very well-taken goal on a set piece. He was dangerous all game, especially on the ball, where he created some nice passages of play alongside Bassi. He was very unfortunate to not get a second goal in this game after a poor miss.
Substitutes
Jimmy Maurer-6
It was nice to see Jimmy Maurer make his Dynamo debut, however not in the fashion he or the coaching staff wanted him to debut in. He really did not have a whole lot to do in the second half and was not at fault for the goal he conceded.
Erik Dueñas-6 (6 avg)
Dueñas continues to see minutes off the bench where he looks like a player that can challenge the starting lineup with just a little more juice. There was nothing bad or special but you can see the signs of what can be a very good player for the Dynamo.
Daniel Steres and Gabe Segal- N/A
Neither substitute came on with enough time to warrant a rating. Gabe Segal did look hungry once again.
Head Coach
Ben Olsen-7 (6.13 avg)
This was a very similar story to the FC Dallas game in the opener. His team outplayed the opposition for 88 minutes of the game. The RSL attackers just capitalized on their limited opportunities while the Dynamo didn’t and that is not necessarily Ben Olsen’s fault. As you heard in the press conference, he is almost begging for more players on the roster, especially at center back.
