Habit of breaking even continues
Until Houston’s Major League Soccer team bucks its current trend, it would be fitting to rename it the Houston Tienamo.
For the fifth time in the last six games and the seventh overall this season, the Dynamo on Tuesday night played to a draw — this one a 0-0 result against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
The Dynamo (3-4-7, 16 points) hit one shot on target and did not allow Vancouver (3-7-4, 13 points) to put any on target in a game that produced only a few exciting moments.
The draw keeps the Dynamo winless (0-4-4) in eight road games, and although coach Tab Ramos has spoken emphatically about the need for his squad to add points on the road in bunches, he was a bit more reserved Tuesday.
“I’m trying for the team to play better and better and to win more games, whether it’s at home or on the road,” he said. “It just so happens that we haven’t won on the road. Obviously, it’s more difficult to win on the road, but I think today the game could have gone either way.”
The Dynamo had two dangerous opportunities in the first half and one in the second.
In the first half, midfielder Derrick Jones played a clever pass to striker Maxi Urruti inside the penalty area, but Urruti’s first touch was too heavy. If it had been softer, Urruti would have had a chance to shoot past the goalkeeper from inside of 12 yards.
Urruti had another chance later in the first half on a free kick from just outside the penalty area. He curled his shot around the right side of the wall, but the ball hit the right post.
In the second half, midfielder Matias Vera had a chance similar to the one Urruti had in the first half. Vera received a pass in the penalty area, but his first touch was too heavy, and he never got off a shot.
With the Dynamo struggling to create much in the attacking third, Ramos subbed in Memo Rodriguez and Darwin Quintero in the 59th minute — a clear message of intent to get all three points.
The changes immediately sparked the attack with Rodriguez receiving a pass from Quintero and hitting a shot on target to the low right corner that was saved by goalkeeper Thomas Hasel.
Unfortunately for the Dynamo, they never forced Hasel to make another save.
“It was a bit of a sloppy match, unfortunately,” defender Sam Junqua said. “It was a battle.”
Tuesday’s game featured the debut of centerback Teenage Hadebe, who arrived as the team’s newest designated player two weeks ago.
Hadebe last played a game in May, and he said he felt tired earlier than usual. He also said he was impressed with the level of competition and that he was encouraged by his performance.
“I thought it was excellent. He really gave us a lot,” Ramos said.