TUCSON, Ariz. – The Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps FC played three scoreless 30-minute periods before Vancouver broke through with two late goals for a 2-0 preseason win on Tuesday night at Kino Sports Complex.
The Dynamo return to Houston after an eight-day visit to Tucson. Next up, the Dynamo will play Houston Baptist University in a scrimmage at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Houston Sports Park.
The match featured four 30-minute periods, with both teams using strong lineups in the first 60 minutes before changing to a new lineup for the final hour.
Still missing midfielders Ricardo Clark and Cristian Maidana due to injury, Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle used a similar lineup as Saturday’s 1-0 win over San Jose, with Leonel Miranda and Tyler Deric joining the starting group along with seven players who started all three games in Tucson: Giles Barnes, Alex Lima, Boniek Garcia, Andrew Wenger, Sheanon Williams, Raul Rodriguez and DaMarcus Beasley.
The Dynamo were lively early on, with Rodriguez forcing David Ousted to save his header from a corner kick, Lima slicing wide with a half-volley and Beasley whipping a menacing cross inches ahead of a darting Bruin at the near post inside the first ten minutes.
Miranda, deployed on the left flank, missed wide with a shot from the top of the box. Soon after, Bruin and Barnes combined with the former laying off for Barnes, whose shot was blocked by Kendall Waston, who repeatedly cleared danger for Vancouver in the first quarter.
Vancouver came close as Cristian Techera fed newcomer Masato Kudo inside the six-yard box and the Japanese forward hit the post. Later, Deric made an outstanding save, shuffling his feet to backpedal and palm Techera’s deflected shot off the top of the crossbar.
Bruin and Barnes combined again down the left channel, with Bruin playing a low cross that rolled just behind Wenger near the penalty spot.
Early in the second quarter, Barnes came very close, settling a long throw in from Williams and missing the far post by half a foot. Wenger and Miranda both took shots in the 45th minute, but both were blocked by a Vancouver back line lead by Waston.
Ten new field players entered for the Dynamo to begin the third quarter, with Erick Torres and Mauro Manotas partnering at forward. The duo was active early in their shift, with Torres twice firing with his left foot within five minutes, and the first forcing a save from goalkeeper Marco Carducci.
Torres had a third chance soon after, but pulled wide from the top of the box. Then, a series of quick passing ended with Torres feeding Zach Steiberger, but the second-year midfielder’s shot was blocked.
Vancouver broke the deadlock eight minutes into the final period. Alphonso Davies led a Vancouver counterattack and fed a short pass to Marco Bustos, who finished from a tight angle for a 1-0 lead.
Then, on the final play of the game, a low cross from Fraser Aird was deflected by defender Sebastien Ibeagha into his own net.
In total, Coyle used 25 players in the preseason finale, including Rio Grade Valley FC signings Charly Flores and Dzenan Catic as well as Homegrown Player Christian Lucatero, who will also open the season with the Dynamo’s USL hybrid affiliate.
Houston Dynamo vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
February 9, 2016 – Kino Sports Complex – Tucson, Arizona
Preseason Scrimmage
Scoring Summary:
VAN: Marco Bustos 1 (Alphonso Davies 1) 98
VAN: Sebastien Ibeagha (own goal) 120
Houston Dynamo first 60 minutes: Tyler Deric; Sheanon Williams, Raul Rodriguez, David Horst, DaMarcus Beasley; Andrew Wenger, Alex Lima, Boniek Garcia, Leonel Miranda; Giles Barnes, Will Bruin
Houston Dynamo second 60 minutes: Tyler Deric (Calle Brown 91); Bradley Bourgeois (Taylor Hunter 103), Jalil Anibaba, Sebastien Ibeagha, Ivan Magalhaes; Memo Rodriguez, Zach Steinberger, Rasheed Olabiyi (Christian Lucatero 103), TJ Casner (Dzenan Catic^ 103); Mauro Manotas, Erick Torres (Charly Flores^ 103)
Trialist/2016 MLS SuperDraft selection
^Rio Grande FC Valley FC signing
Vancouver Whitecaps FC first 60 minutes: David Ousted; Jordan Smith, Kendall Waston, Christian Dean, Sam Adekugbe; Matías Laba, Russell Teibert; Nicolás Mezquida, Blas Pérez (Kianz Froese 46), Cristian Techera; Masato Kudo
Vancouver Whitecaps FC second 60 minutes: Marco Carducci; Fraser Aird, Cole Seiler, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey; Deybi Flores, Kianz Froese; Christian Bolaños (Alfonso Davies^ 90), Pedro Morales (Marco Bustos 90), Kekuta Manneh (Christopher Hellmann* 106); Octavio Rivero (Thomas Sanner* 106)
^ WFC 2 or WFC Residency player
* Unsigned draft selection or preseason guest player
Disciplinary summary:
HOU: Andrew Wenger (caution) 6
HOU: Sheanon Williams (caution) 33
HOU: Rasheed Olabiyi (caution) 76
VAN: Kianz Froese (caution) 94
VAN: Marco Bustos (caution) 96
