It might only be pre-season but it’s never fun to lose to your rival especially by three goals, but unfortunately on Wednesday night that’s what happened to the Dynamo. While the Houston Dynamo got off to a great start against Sporting Kansas City they were unable to hold the lead and eventually fell 4-1 to their MLS rivals.
Houston started the game off pressing high which allowed them to capatalize on a bad pass from SKC. Alberth Elis was able to jump on the ball and score to give the Dynamo a 1-0 lead just four minutes into the game.
The Dynamo maintained control of the game until the 11th minute when Russell was able to score off the counter attack for SKC. Thirteen minutes later SKC put the ball in the back of the net again, but it was ruled offside on the field. The play was reviewed by VAR which determined that SKC had in fact scored to put them ahead 2-1.
SKC was able to capitalize on another Dynamo mistake to get their third goal of the game. The Dynamo turned the ball over in the defensive third and as the Dynamo scrambled to adjust SKC was able to put the ball in the net to make it 3-1 in the 28th minute.
The Dynamo were slow to get going in the second half. While they were able to get their feet on the ball deep in the backfield they struggled to get much further than midfield with it. In the 55th minute the Dynamo finally put together a possession that found its way in front of goal. Mauro Manotas got close enough to fire off a shot but the ball was stopped by Tim Melia.
In the 68th minute, Romell Quioto almost got a goal for the Dynamo. His shot took a deflection rolled just outside of the corner of the goal. It was the best chance the Dynamo would have in the second half to score.
Quioto was shown a straight red after a sliding tackle that caught the foot of an SKC player in the 73rd minute. This left the Dynamo to finish the game out with only 10 men. Down a man the Dynamo shifted to a more defensive approach often in a 1-4-4 formation of sorts.
The shift allowed SKC more possession but the defensive formation prevented SKC from capitalizing on it early on. A second yellow card for Roger Espinoza saw him sent off, leaving each side to play with 10 men for the last three minutes of regulation.
Krisztian Nemeth put a chip shot over Joe Willis and into goal to make it 4-1 as stoppage time got underway. Nemeth’s goal came after a turnover in the back from the Dynamo allowed SKC to get down the field on a breakaway. After two minutes of stoppage time the final whistle blew and the Dynamo fell 4-1 to SKC.
The 4-1 results wasn’t a great one for the Dynamo especially when you consider that this is likely the starting roster for MLS Opening day and CCL. SKC was able to capitalize on the mistakes that the Dynamo made which is a familiar story for Dynamo fans.
Today's Starting XI: Willis; DeLaGarza, Struna, Figueroa, Beasley ©; Vera, Cabezas; Martínez; Elis, Manotas, Quioto
— Houston Dynamo (@HoustonDynamo) February 13, 2019
Watch live at 5 p.m. CT on Facebook, YouTube or https://t.co/yWCHaFDZXc! #SKCvHOU #ForeverOrange pic.twitter.com/R1srssOnNV
As this was their last pre-season game the team now turns its sights on CCL. Next Tuesday, the team will face Guastatoya in their first of two meetings in CONCACAF Champions League.