Mauro Manotas scored twice and Erick Torres, Will Bruin and Cristian Maidana added goals as the Houston Dynamo continued preseason with a 5-0 win over Houston Baptist University Saturday morning at Houston Sports Park.
Three newcomers made their Dynamo preseason debuts. Cristian “Chaco” Maidana made his first appearance and scored early in the second half after an ankle injury kept him out of the three Tucson friendlies. The Spanish tandem of Agus Garcia and David Rocha also made their first appearance after arriving in Houston on Tuesday and practicing for the first time yesterday.
Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle used a mixed lineup in each half, with Agus joining the familiar backline of Sheanon Williams, Raúl Rodríguez and DaMarcus Beasley in the starting lineup.
Manotas opened the scoring after the half-hour mark, forcing a turnover at the edge of the penalty area and then taking a pass from Zach Steinberger before finishing low inside the far post for a 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later, Manotas combined with Boniek García for a break down the right side as Manotas forced a save from Houston Baptist goalkeeper Chance Pope.
Houston doubled its lead soon after, with Beasley delivering a precise cross from the left endline and Torres nodding home from close range for his second preseason goal and a 2-0 lead.
The Dynamo made it three goals in a ten-minute span, with García running a counterattack through the right channel and delivering a cross for Manotas, who steered his left-footed shot inside the post for his third preseason goal.
Houston was active throughout the first half, with Beasley wreaking havoc on the right, Leonel Miranda attacking from the left, and Manotas and Torres creating chances up front. Early on Torres had a shot blocked after Manotas and Beasley worked well down the left.
Another promising buildup with Torres and Garcia led to a Miranda cross that was cleared in front of Steinberger near goal. Manotas headed a Miranda delivery over the crossbar, and later forced a save from Pope. Torres also tried his luck with an overhead kick that missed wide.
Coyle changed his entire team at halftime, with Rocha and Maidana entering for their debuts alongside Alex Lima in the center of midfield. Giles Barnes played the left midfield position with Andrew Wenger on the opposite flank. Bruin played striker to lead the front six in the second half.
The veteran group added to the lead within four minutes, as Wenger created space near the end line before serving a low cross for Bruin, who finished near the penalty spot for his first preseason goal and a 4-0 advantage.
Houston capped the scoring two minutes later, with Bruin flicking Jalil Anibaba’s long throw in to Maidana, who calmly finished from eight yards for a 5-0 lead.
The Dynamo pressed on, with Rocha firing wide from a Bruin layoff, then Bruin forcing Pope to tip his 19-yard effort over the crossbar. Barnes threatened as well, smashing a half-volley just past the upper corner and then heading Maidana’s corner into the hands of Pope.
Houston Dynamo vs. Houston Baptist University
February 13, 2016 – Methodist Champions Field – Houston Sports Park
Preseason Scrimmage
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Mauro Manotas 2 (Zach Steinberger 1) 34
HOU: Erick Torres 2 (DaMarcus Beasley 1) 38
HOU: Mauro Manotas 3 (Boniek Garcia 1) 43
HOU: Will Bruin 1 (Andrew Wenger 1) 49
HOU: Cristian Maidana 1 (Will Bruin 1, Jalil Anibaba 1) 51
Houston Dynamo first half: Tyler Deric; Sheanon Williams, Raul Rodriguez, Agus Garcia, DaMarcus Beasley; Boniek Garcia, Rasheed Olabiyi, Zach Steinberger, Leonel Miranda; Mauro Manotas, Erick Torres
Houston Dynamo second half: Joe Willis; Bradley Bourgeois, David Horst, Sebastien Ibeagha, Jalil Anibaba; Andrew Wenger, Alex Lima, David Rocha, Cristian Maidana, Giles Barnes; Will Bruin
