The Houston Dynamo picked up their first point away from home this season, earning a 0-0 draw with FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. The draw improved the Dynamo record to 6-5-2 and kept them in a tie with Dallas for second place in the MLS Western Conference with 20 points.
Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric, making his first start in eight games, came up with a pair of spectacular saves to post his 16th career clean sheet. Deric made a highlight-reel save in the 26th minute, batting a ball out of the upper left corner of his goal, and he dove low to the same post to push another dangerous shot wide of the post 10 minutes later. Deric finished the night with four saves to maintain the shutout.
FC Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez matched Deric save for save, producing a pair of stellar saves of his own to deny Dynamo forwards Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas in the 27th and 65th minutes, respectively.
FC Dallas had the first dangerous opportunity of the game. In the second minute, Dallas midfielder Roland Lamah rose up for a header inside the six-yard box and attempted to nod it back to a teammate, but no one was there as the ball fell harmlessly to the ground.
In a span of a minute, both goalkeepers demonstrated their ability. In the 26th, Dallas midfielder Kellyn Acosta curled a shot on a free kick from 25 yards that seemed destined for the upper corner of the goal, but Deric went airborne and kept the ball out with a two-handed save.
After his save, Deric quickly pounced on the loose ball and promptly cleared it, giving the Dynamo a counterattacking opportunity. Forward Erick Torres played the ball wide to Elis, who curled a shot from outside the penalty area, but Gonzalez produced a spectacular diving save of his own, stretching to get a palm to Elis’ shot.
In the 36th minute, Dallas midfielder Michael Barrios played a low cross in from the right side. The ball found forward Cristian Colmán in the six-yard box, but his backheeled shot was saved by a quick reaction from Deric.
In the 51st minute, Barrios stole a ball from Houston defender Leonardo and dribbled the ball into the area. Barrios laid it off to Lamah, but his left-footed shot was blocked by Houston defender Adolfo Machado.
In the 65th minute, Dynamo midfielder Alex played a cross from the left side to the middle of the box. Manotas raced into the area and slid to put a foot on the ball, but Gonzalez got a foot to the ball, saving it off the line.
In the 68th minute, Dynamo defender DaMarcus Beasley passed the ball to forward Vicente Sánchez on the left side. Sánchez went down the line and sent a cross to the far side. Dynamo defender A.J. DeLaGarza attempted a flying right-footed volley but was unable to put it on frame.
Forward Andrew Wenger gave the Dynamo one last scoring opportunity in stoppage time when he chased down a ball along the left flank and fired a low cross in front of goal, but Torres was unable to get onto the end of it and the ball skipped through harmlessly.
Their three-game road trip concluded, the Dynamo return home to host Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. CDT (TICKETS).
FC Dallas (5-2-5; 20 pts.) 0-0 Houston Dynamo (6-5-2; 20 pts.)
MLS Week 13
May 28, 2017 – Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
Scoring Summary:
N/A
FC Dallas: Jesse Gonzalez; Hernán Grana, Walker Zimmerman (Atiba Harris 24), Matt Hedges ©, Maynor Figueroa; Michael Barrios, Kellyn Acosta, Carlos Gruezo, Roland Lamah (Mauro DÃaz 81); Cristian Colmán (Tesho Akindele 74), Maximiliano Urruti
Unused Substitutes: Chris Seitz, Ryan Hollingshead, Javier Morales, Victor Ulloa
Total shots: 16 (Kellyn Acosta, Roland Lamah, Cristian Colmán, Maximiliano Urruti 3); Shots on goal: 4 (Cristian Colmán 3); Fouls: 9 (Hernán Grana 3); Offside: 3 (Roland Lamah, Maximiliano Urruti, Atiba Harris 1); Corner kicks: 5 (Kellyn Acosta 4); Saves: 2
Houston Dynamo: Tyler Deric; A.J. DeLaGarza, Adolfo Machado, Leonardo (Jalil Anibaba 78), DaMarcus Beasley; Ricardo Clark ©, Juan David Cabezas, Alex; Alberth Elis (Vicente Sánchez 64), Erick Torres, Mauro Manotas (Andrew Wenger 76)
Unused Substitutes: Joe Willis, Boniek GarcÃa, Kevin Garcia, Memo Rodriguez
Total shots: 5 (Alex, A.J. DeLaGarza, Mauro Manotas, Erick Torres 1); Shots on goal: 2 (Mauro Manotas, Erick Torres 1); Fouls: 15 (Juan David Cabezas 6); Offside: 1 (Alberth Elis 1); Corner kicks: 3 (Alex 2); Saves: 4
Discipline:
HOU: Ricardo Clark caution (foul) 17
HOU: Juan David Cabezas caution (foul) 83
HOU: Tyler Deric (time wasting) 90+3
OFFICIALS
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Nelson
Assistant Referee 2: Brian Poeschel
Fourth Official: Caleb Mendez
