“Viernes de Futbol,” could not have gotten off to a better start for the Houston Dynamo, taking advantage off a corner kick opportunity in the first minute of the game to take a 1-nil lead over a Los Angeles Galaxy that was looking to correct their road woes. Unfortunately for the Houston Dynamo, it’s not how you start but how you finish.
Three minutes after giving up the early goal, Giovani dos Santos pounced on an opportunity like the best of them.
Ashley Cole sent in a ball to meet Sebastian Lletget just outside the ball and a lack of communication saw Dynamo defenders Raul Rodriguez and DaMarcus Beasley pulled in to try and head it out. The ball rebounds into the box off the Rodriguez-Lletget-Beasley scuffle and Gio dos Santos, cool and collected, places it into the back of the net where Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis can do nothing about it, tying the match at 1-1.
Giovani dos Santos scored two goals in the LA Galaxy’s 4-1 win over Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium on April 15, 2016. Victor Araiza/Prost Amerika
“Obviously he played well,” said LA Galaxy Head Coach Bruce Arena during his postgame presser when asked about dos Santos’ performance. “The first goal was a big goal. Got us back in at after conceding an early goal. Never a good way to start on the road. To get that goal back early was important. It settled our team down a little bit.”
The defensive woes would continue for the Houston Dynamo as the Galaxy would go on to score three more unanswered goals.
The second goal for the Galaxy came in the 22nd minute when Joe Willis punches out a ball that was heading into the box from a cross off the left corner of the field by Giovani dos Santos, served to him by Steven Gerrard. Willis didn’t put enough force behind the punch and it lands on the edge of the goal area where Baggio Husidić receives it with his chest, lets bounce once of the ground and smashes it into the net to give LA the lead.
Steven Gerrard returned from a calf injury to play the entire match in Houston on April 15, 2016. Gerrard wore a black armband to show his solidarity with Liverpool on the 27th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy. Victor Araiza/Prost Amerika
Gerrard was again instrumental in the 30th minute when he crosses a right-to-left diagonal ball that Giovani dos Santos receives and and then self-volleys it into the bottom right corner to complete his brace. The score would remain 3-1 at halftime.
“It’s not just about the midfield tonight,” said Gerrard to the media after the game. “I thought we jelled all over the pitch, I thought defensively we were very solid, especially after our setback in the first minute. We need to stop conceding goals early on in games, that’s one area that we need to improve, but tonight I think for 89 minutes after that we were superb all over the pitch, looked good and worked hard all over, and as I said we deserved the three points.”
The urgency to collect their first road win of the season remained for the LA Galaxy and would lead to a fourth Galaxy goal in the 49th minute of the match. Sebastian Lletget sent in a long pass from right field that gets past defender David Horst for Gyasi Zardes to collect his third goal of the season.
The Houston Dynamo was talked about being the most explosive offense in Major League Soccer, scoring a record 11 goals to start the first three games of the season. With no firepower generated, Dynamo Head Coach Owen Coyle opted to use his three substitutions at once.
“To be honest, the ones that we brought out, we obviously brought out because we needed the fresh change but the bigger problems, we’ve seen through the goals tonight, were from the back,” said Dynamo Head Coach Owen Coyle after the match. “Ultimately, when you’re trying to get yourself back into a game, it’s offensive pieces you change to try and get a better bit of energy going forward.”
Houston Dynamo Forward Erick Torres entered the game in the 57th minute to play his first home match of 2016 against the Los Angeles Galaxy on April 16, 2016. Victor Araiza/Prost Amerika
Will Bruin, Andrew Wenger and Cristian Maidana were subbed off in the 57th minute to bring on Oscar Boniek Garcia, Leonel Miranda and the home-debut in 2016 of Erick ‘Cubo’ Torres.
Jelle Van Damme wins the ball from Erick Torres inside the box to deny the forward an opportunity on goal at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on April 15, 2016. Victor Araiza/Prost Amerika
The 23-year-old Torres finally saw meaningful minutes in this 2016 season, 33 in this match, and generated one shot. The forward was also on the receiving end of a challenge inside the box that saw Belgian defender Jelle Van Damme win the ball. Jeers were heard throughout BBVA Compass Stadium as fans have seen Referee Mark Geiger call a penalty from less doubtful challenges.
“I felt good, I was ready to go,” said Torres to the media after the game. “I was ready to make my debut here at home. Physically, I feel good. I had some scoring opportunities and unfortunately they didn’t go in. I’m glad that I accumulated more minutes on the field and although the score didn’t go in our favor we put forth a solid effort. We still need to analyze the tape.”
In the end, it was the Galaxy who walked away with their first road win of the season. The Houston Dynamo will now look to accomplish the same feat in their next game as they look to fix their own road woes.
The Houston Dynamo will travel to Columbus to take on Crew SC on Saturday, April 23 at MAPFRE Stadium. Los Angeles Galaxy return to the StubHub Center next Saturday to host Real Salt Lake, 7:30 PT kickoff.
Victor Araiza is a beat writer covering the Houston Dynamo for Prost Amerika.
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