Texas Derby round 1: Dynamo pick up first away point in 0-0 draw

The Dynamo hit the road on Sunday in the first Texas Derby of the 2017 season. The Dynamo have been abysmal on the road up to this point, losing all five matches and surrendering fourteen goals in the process, and were hoping to right the ship against their rivals from Dallas.

The men in orange were probably fortunate to pick up a valuable away point after losing the possession battle (59-41) and being outshot 16-5. A combination of great goalkeeping and wastefulness in attack accounted for the scoreless draw.

FC Dallas were immediately on the front foot in the opening stages, controlling possession and preventing the Dynamo from managing any attempts in the first twenty minutes. The Dynamo were forced into a handful of fouls in dangerous positions, and Tyler Deric came up with a wonderful save in the 27th minute to deny a Kellyn Acosta free kick from just outside the box. The Dynamo forced an impressive save from Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez less than a minute later when Alberth Elis attempted a curler from long range.

Deric came up with another massive save when he denied Cristian Colmán from close range in the 37th minute. Dynamo fans were relieved just seconds later when Dallas found the back of the net through Atiba Harris but he was narrowly offside at the back post. It was ultimately Deric’s heroics that kept the Dynamo in the game and sent it to halftime knotted at 0-0.

Houston were pinned inside their defensive area to begin the second half, relying on a handful of last-ditch tackles and blocks to deny Dallas from getting on the board. After weathering the initial storm, the Dynamo were able to produce two fantastic chances of their own and Gonzalez came up big for Dallas again when he denied Mauro Manotas on the doorstep in the 66th minute. The Colombian made way for Andrew Wenger in the 76th after a largely quiet night.

The final fifteen minutes were filled with stoppages due to substitutions and fouls, and and both sides were unable to create any great passages of play in the attacking third.

The Dynamo are back at home on Wednesday in a midweek match against Real Salt Lake.

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