NEED TO KNOW:
- Dynamo earned fifth shutout of the season
- Houston took 17 shots, held Whitecaps to one shot on goal
- FW Tyler Pasher made his first appearance since September 3
HOUSTON – Houston Dynamo FC drew 0-0 with Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Wednesday night. It was the fifth clean sheet of the season for the Dynamo and first since a 3-0 win over Austin FC on Sept. 11.
The Dynamo started the game out strong, with two dangerous attacking possessions in the first 10 minutes. The first chance at a goal for Houston came in the seventh minute. After an extended run of possession in the eighth minute, the ball found defender Sam Junqua on the left flank, where he sent a cross into midfielder Darwin Quintero, whose shot narrowly missed the target.
Just two minutes later, forward Fafa Picatult got on the end of a long, downfield pass from defender Maynor Figueroa a minute later and had a clean shot on goal. The ball caught the inside of the far post but ricocheted back to the Whitecaps goalkeeper, who secured possession and staved off the second threatening attack from Houston.
The Dynamo nearly scored once more at the end of the first half, when Quintero and Picault found themselves on a two-man counterattack in the 29th minute. Quintero passed the ball to Picault, who could not break free in time to generate a shot on goal. A minute later, Quintero got free for a shot, but his shot was saved by Vancouver goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
While they created numerous chances in the attack, the Dynamo exhibited stout defense throughout the first half. By the end of the opening period, Houston had generated nine shots to Vancouver’s one. Overall, the Dynamo took 17 shots to Vancouver’s five and limited the Whitecaps to just one shot on goal over the course of 90 minutes.
The Dynamo came out firing in the second half, as midfielder Darwin Cerén found space for a shot just two minutes into the half. Quintero also connected for the first shot on goal of the half, as midfielder Matias Vera found him right in front of goal for a potential scoring opportunity. Quintero’s shot, however, fell into the arms of the Whitecaps’ diving goalkeeper. Quintero led the team in shots with five, the most shots the midfielder has recorded in any game this season.
Houston’s best chance of the half came in the 77th minute, when forward Tyler Pasher struck a low shot from outside the 18-yard-box that was parried away by the Vancouver goalkeeper. The ball rebounded off the keeper’s hands and found the feet of Quintero near the six-yard box, however Vancouver defender Florian Jungwirth lunged to poke the ball away before the Colombian could shoot. Pasher, who entered the match as a substitute in the 65th minute, made his first appearance since Sept. 3 against Portland.
The next match for the Houston Dynamo takes place on Sunday, Oct. 3 at 3:00 pm CST when they travel north to take on Sporting Kansas City. The match will be aired nationally on UniMas and TUDN as well as locally through Quest Texas 55.
Houston Dynamo FC (5-11-12; 27 pts.) 0-0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (8-8-10; 34 pts.)
MLS Regular Season – Week 28
BBVA Stadium – Houston, Texas
Attendance: 12,114
LINEUPS:
Houston Dynamo FC: Michael Nelson; Maynor Figueroa, Teenage Hadebe, Tim Parker (C); Sam Junqua, Matias Vera (Memo Rodriguez 89), Darwin Cerén, Darwin Quintero, Griffin Dorsey; Fafa Picault (Maxi Urruti 80), Corey Baird (Tyler Pasher 65)
Unused substitutes: Kyle Morton, Zarek Valentin, Derrick Jones, Ari Lassiter, Joe Corona, Boniek Garcia
Total shots: 17 (Darwin Quintero 5); Shots on goal: 4 (Tyler Pasher, Griffin Dorsey, Fafa Picault, Darwin Quintero 1) Fouls: 12 (Sam Junqua 3); Offside: 3; Corner kicks: 8; Saves: 1 (Michael Nelson 1)
Vancouver Whitecaps: Maxime Crépeau (C); Jake Nerwinski, Michael Baldisimo, Andy Rose; Patrick Metcalfe (Déiber Caicedo 46), Leonard Owusu (Florian Jungwirth 46), Janio Bikel (Russell Teibert 75), Javain Brown; Lucas Cavallini (Brian White 46), Ryan Raposo (Ryan Gauld 58), Cristian Dájome
Unused substitutes: Cristian Dájome, Marcus Godinho, Tosaint Ricketts, Thomas Hasal, Bruno Gaspar
Total shots: 5 (Ryan Gauld, Cristian Dájome 1); Shots on goal: 1 (Ryan Gauld 1); Fouls: 16 (Michael Baldisimo, Javain Brown, Cristian Dájome, Déiber Caicedo, Ryan Raposo, Brian White 2); Offside: 1; Corner kicks: 4; Saves: 4 (Maxime Crépeau 4)
DISCIPLINE:
VAN: Michael Baldisimo (yellow card; foul) 47
VAN: Cristian Dájome (yellow card; foul) 55
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Alex Chilowicz
Assistant Referee: Eric Weisbrod
Assistant Referee: Jeffrey Greeson
Fourth Official: Jon Freemon
VAR: Ismail Elfath
Weather: 75 degrees, light showers
