It may have been just a friendly against a team beginning preseason, but the Dynamo got a big shutout win in this year's Dynamo Charities Cup. Houston hosted Stoke City of the Premier League, the club that former Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron currently plies his trade for.
The Dynamo pulled off the win with their own version of a British invasion getting goals from Andrew Driver and Giles Barnes. Both goals were highlight worthy as Driver sent in a 25 yard free kick in the 11th minute and Barnes got behind Stoke's defense in the 88th minute and went far post for the insurance goal.
In the Dynamo Charities Cup, it was Houston's third win in five matches. Previously, the Dynamo beat Monterrey (Mexico) in 2009 and C.D. Aguila (El Salvador) in 2010, while dropping their last two against Bolton (England) and Valencia (Spain).
With the game being an exhibition match, Dominic Kinnear used a handful of the younger Dynamo players and had high praise for Jason Johnson, Tyler Deric, and Alex Dixon post game. It was also nice to see Brad Davis get back on the pitch following a hamstring injury.
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Stoke may have been in preseason form obviously, but the Dynamo showed signs they could be at a turning point and continuing on the right path. With two consecutive wins in league play, Houston has Chicago coming up on Saturday and will host Columbus the following week - two Eastern Conference opponents that are looking up at the Dynamo in the standings.
Match Highlights
Match Notes
Scoring Summary:
Houston: Andrew Driver (unassisted) 11
Houston: Giles Barnes (Corey Ashe) 88
Houston Dynamo: Tyler Deric; Warren Creavalle (Brad Davis 66), Bobby Boswell (Jermaine Taylor 46), Eric Brunner (Corey Ashe 66), Mike Chabala; Alex Dixon (Bryan Salazar 89), Adam Moffat (Kofi Sarkodie 46), Ricardo Clark (Boniek Garcia 46), Andrew Driver (Brian Ownby 46); Cam Weaver (Giles Barnes 46), Jason Johnson
Substitutes not used: Tally Hall
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (3 tied with 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (4 tied with 1); FOULS: 4 (Jason Johnson 2); OFFSIDES: 3 (Cam Weaver 3); CORNER KICKS: 4 (Boniek Garcia 2, Andrew Driver 2); SAVES: 0
Stoke City F.C.: Asmir Begovic (Jack Butland 46); Geoff Cameron (Jordan Keane 89), Ryan Shawcross (Andy Wilkinson 66), Robert Huth (Ryan Shotton 67), Erik Pieters (Marc Muniesa 67); Michael Kightly (Matt Etherington 77), Steven N'Zonzi (Mark Wilson 46), Charlie Adam (Wilson Palacios 46); Johnathan Walters (Flo Cuvelier 77), Peter Crouch (Kenwyne Jones 46), Cameron Jerome (Glenn Whelan 46)
Substitutes not used: None
Misconduct Summary: None
Referee: Mathieu Bourdeau
Referee's Assistants: Adam Garner; Mark Boyko
4th Official: Elie Aguilar