Early mistake sets tone for Crew

A key to defending a talented, counterattacking team like the Houston Dynamo, Crew SC coach Gregg Berhalter has said, is keeping the ball.

When losing the ball, he went on to say, it’s important to do so in spots that prevent the Dynamo from countering.

In the second minute against Houston, goalkeeper Zack Steffen gave the ball away in a spot that required little counterattacking, and the Crew yielded an early goal on the way to a 3-1 loss Saturday night at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

Pressured by Erick “Cubo” Torres, Steffen produced a pass that was stolen by Houston forward Romell Quioto just above the 18-yard box. With a running start, Quioto took three quick touches then booted the ball to the far post, beating a diving Steffen to give the Dynamo (2-0-0) a quick 1-0 advantage.

The Crew (0-1-1) settled in over the next half-hour and created a few dangerous chances. A Federico Higuain shot from the right side of the box in the 28th minute required a Tyler Deric save, as did headers from Jonathan Mensah and Nicolai Naess off corner kicks in the 28th and 29th minutes, respectively.

But none resulted in a goal, and it got worse for the Crew from there.

Houston scored its second goal six minutes later on an Alex corner kick. Alberth Elis went unmarked and was able to gather himself at the top of the 6-yard box, turn and beat Steffen near the right post in the 35th minute.

In the 65th minute, Alex booted deep to Torres, who, given plenty of space just inside the box, went to work on rookie defender Connor Maloney, a halftime substitution for right back

Harrison Afful.

Torres went to his dominant foot, planted and curled a ball into the top right corner of the goal to make it 3-0.

Defender Jonathan Mensah was sent off with a red card in the 87th minute. On a rain-soaked 68th. Red card: Columbus, Mensah (violent conduct) 87th.

Shots: Houston 3-4–7; Columbus 9-5–14. Shots on goal: Houston 2-2–4; Columbus 3-2–5. Saves: Houston, Deric 3-0–3; Columbus, Steffen 0-1–1. Fouls: Houston 6-6–12; Columbus 2-5–7. Corner kicks: Houston 1-1–2; Columbus 3-2–5. Offsides: Houston 1-1–2; Columbus 4-1–5. A: 16,486.

Lineups: Columbus–Steffen; Afful (Maloney 45), Mensah, Naess, Raitala; Artur (Abu 58), Finlay, Higuain, Trapp (Jahn 65); Kamara, Meram. Houston—Deric; Leonardo, DeLaGarza, Machado, Remick; Alex, Alexander (Cabezas 70), Clark; Elis (Wenger 75), Quioto,

pitch, Houston yielded just one goal, in the 93rd minute to Ola Kamara.

The trip for the Crew continues this week with a game Saturday at D.C. United.