MLS NEXT Pro Houston Dynamo 2

Houston Dynamo 2 Falls in Home Finale

Published on September 17, 2023 under MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Houston Dynamo 2 News Release


HOUSTON - Houston Dynamo 2 fell to North Texas SC 3-1 in the final home game of the regular season earlier this evening at SaberCats Stadium. Dynamo Dos is still in contention to make the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs and will have another opportunity to clinch a berth next week on the road against LA Galaxy II.

Dynamo 2 forward Papa Ndoye and defender Talen Maples combined for the first goal of the night in the 29th minute. Maples crossed the ball into the box and found Ndoye open on the far side to score his team-leading 13th goal of the season.

North Texas tied the game in the 59th minute of the match after forward Jose Mulato scored on the far post. The visitors took the lead in the 67th minute after a corner kick from Diego Garcia found Henri Santos inside the box. The Brazilian striker headed the ball into the back of the net to give North Texas the lead.

The final goal of the match came in the 75th minute after Tomas Pondeca's shot from outside the box beat the Dynamo 2 goalkeeper at the near post. This was the first ever victory in the series for the FC Dallas affiliate. Dynamo 2 earned two points in the first meeting of the season and earned three points in the last meeting between both sides.

Houston had an early opportunity to score after Isaiah Reid won a free kick just outside the box. Midfielder Diego Gonzalez took the ensuing free kick and won the first corner kick of the game for Houston.

Ndoye took a shot from distance in the 28th minutes that forced North Texas SC goalkeeper Antonio Carrera to make the save and concede a corner kick.

Dynamo Dos goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell made a key save in the 35th minute of the match after Pondeca took a shot. Tarbell made the diving save to keep the ball out of the back of the net and smothered the ball to quell the danger.

Dynamo Dos appeared to have scored in the 62nd minute after Ndoye received a cross-field pass and found the back of the net, but he was ruled offside.

Houston had another opportunity to score moments later after Reid was able to make a run on the nearside of the goal, but the Clemson product's shot missed the inside of the far post.

Tarbell made a key save to keep the game within reach for Dynamo Dos in the 72nd minute. He beat a North Texas attacker to the ball to prevent a transition opportunity following a corner kick for Dynamo 2.

Dynamo Dos forward Zeke Soto, who came on as a second-half substitute, had an opportunity to cut into the North Texas lead in the final minutes of regulation. but was denied by the North Texas back line.

Houston Dynamo 2 closes the regular season with an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth on the road against LA Galaxy II on Sunday, Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. CT.

---

Houston Dynamo 2 (11-11-4; 40 pts.) 1-3 North Texas SC (8-11-8; 33 pts.)

MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season - Match 27

SaberCats Stadium - Houston, Texas

SCORING SUMMARY ‚

TEAM ‚ 1H 2H FT ‚

Houston Dynamo 2 1 0 1

North Texas SC 0 3 0

HOU: Papa Ndoye 13 (Talen Maples 2) 29'

NTX: Jose Mulato (Herbert Endely) 59'

NTX: Henri Santos (Diego Garcia) 67'

NTX: Tomas Pondeca (Dylan Lacy) 75'

LINEUPS:

Houston Dynamo 2: Andrew Tarbell, Isaiah LeFlore, Talen Maples, Tate Lampman, Jathan Juarez (Omar Grey 66'), Isaiah Reid (Mujeeb Murana 81'), Diego Gonzalez, Charles Auguste (Sebastian Rodriguez 73'), Papa Ndoye, Jacob Evans (Zeke Soto 81'), Brooklyn Raines (Yair González 73')

Unused substitutes: Andres Pannenberg, Paolo Rios, Jesus Orejuela, Ifeanyi Udanoh

Total shots: 16 (Papa Ndoye with 4); Shots on goal: 7 (Papa Ndoye with 3); Fouls: 14 (Charles Auguste with 4); Offside: 1 (Papa Ndoye 1); Corner kicks: 5; Saves: 6 (Andrew Tarbell 6)

North Texas SC: Antonio Carrera, André Luque, Henri Santos, Amet Korça (Alejandro Araneda 63'), Malachi Molina (Yeicar Perlaza 84'), Dylan Lacy, Carl Sainté, Hope Avayevu, Tomas Pondeca (Theo Henrique 88'), Herbert Endeley (Diego Garcia 63') José Mulato (Lautaro Taboada 84')

Unused substitutes: Nicolas Arango, Manuel Caicedo, Diego Pepi

Total shots: 18 (Tomas Pondeca with 5); Shots on goal: 9 (Tomas Pondeca with 3); Fouls: 16 (Carl Sainte and Tomas Pondeca tied with 3); Offside: n/a; Corner kicks: 5; Saves: 6

DISCIPLINE: ‚ ‚

NTX: Henri Santos (caution; foul) 38'

NTX: André Luque (caution; foul) 39'

HOU: Charles Auguste (caution; foul) 55'

NTX: Tomas Pondeca (caution; foul) 76'

HOU: Diego Gonzalez (caution; foul) 79'

HOU: Yair Gonzalez (caution; foul) 86'

HOU: Antonio Carrera (caution; foul) 90'

NTX: Dylan Lacy (caution; foul) 90+2'

OFFICIALS: ‚ ‚

Referee: Ricardo Fierro

Assistant Referee: Nick Goyette

Assistant Referee:Albert Franklin

Fourth Official: ‚ Hector Hernandez

Weather: 92 degrees, partly cloudy

Check out the Houston Dynamo 2 Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



MLS NEXT Pro Stories from September 17, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central