Draw extends club’s winless streak to 14
It’s been a long summer for the Dynamo, a club that has struggled to score and is finding winning to be elusive. The Dynamo couldn’t hold a halftime lead on Saturday and saw their winless streak reach a franchise-record 14 straight games.
A turn of events early in the second half went against Houston. But the Dynamo got a 72nd-minute goal from Matias Vera to secure a 2-2 tie with FC Dallas before a crowd of 13,548 at BBVA Stadium in the second leg of the Texas Derby.
Fafa Picault scored on a penalty kick in the 25th minute, giving Houston a 1-0 halftime lead. The Dynamo haven’t won since May 22. Vera scored in the 72nd minute on a shot from distance, inside the right corner.
Dallas came out attacking after halftime, and Houston didn’t have the same energy in the second half as it did in the first. Dynamo goalkeeper Marko Maric conceded scores in the 54th minute to Nkosi Burgess and in the 58th minute to 18-year-old attacker Ricardo Pepi.
A tie is nothing for the Dynamo to celebrate.
“There’s no reason we couldn’t have won this game,” Dynamo coach Tab Ramos said. “We made two big mistakes in the second half that allowed them to get back in the game.”
Both clubs were seeking to secure the three points, and both sit below the playoff line. A Houston win would have brought Houston (3-8-10) level with FC Dallas (5-9-7) in the league table. The two sides are Western Conference rivals contending for a spot in the postseason. Entering Saturday, the Dynamo were six points out of the playoffs.
Houston’s 14-game winless streak is the longest run without a win by any MLS team this season.
“This team has fight, but we have to have fight when we’re in the lead, too,” Ramos said. “This team fights, but unfortunately we can’t get a W right now.”
Saturday’s match was a quick turnaround following a 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake on Wednesday and began a stretch of four straight matches at home. Houston will share the pitch with Minnesota United next Saturday at BBVA.
Maxi Urruti was back in the lineup for Houston on Saturday night. Though held scoreless, Urruti was a key contributor for the Dynamo, who outshot Dallas 12-11. Dallas did enjoy an advantage in shots on goal (6-4) and possession.
At times the play became physical. FC Dallas’ Jose Antonio Martinez was called into action in the sixth minute to replace an injured Matheus Bressan.
Saturday was the first of two meetings with FC Dallas at BBVA this season.
Houston wasn’t sharp enough to score until Picault converted the penalty kick. Goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer guessed incorrectly, moving to his right while Picault found the right side of the goal.
An incredible first touch by Picault put him position to draw the foul. Picault is 3-for-3 from the penalty spot this season, and his sixth goal of 2021 placed him in a tie with Urruti for the club lead.
But overall, the offense has struggled this season, with the Dynamo averaging just under a goal per game.