Anatomy of a Goal: Guilherme announces his arrival
(image via Aldo Canale)
Brazilian Designated Player Guilherme scored twice for the Houston Dynamo in a win over the Chicago Fire. His first goal came from a brilliant build up and assist to mark the DP’s debut goal in Major League Soccer.
Today we’re breaking down Guilherme’s goal. All the images we’re using are from the Apple TV broadcast and Major League Soccer’s YouTube highlight video.
The play begins with Lucas Halter throwing the ball back to Antonio Carlos (circled) who receives the ball in the Dynamo box.
Jack McGlynn (circled), who is playing in a deeper role this season, comes all the way back to the top of the Dynamo box to receive the ball and relieve pressure.
McGlynn plays the ball square to the right side of the field to Erik Sviatchenko (circled), who first looks up field to find a runner.
Sviatchenko doesn’t find a pass down field and instead plays back to goalkeeper Jonathan Bond (circled), who sees an outlet and hits a first-time pass up field.
It’s striker Ezequiel Ponce who Bond sees downfield and picks out with his pass. Ponce (circled) checks back to the play and brings Bond’s pass down with his chest.
Ponce lays the ball back to McGlynn (circled), who has come back into the play after helping start it on the edge of the box. McGlynn takes one look and sees Guilherme making a run (arrow). He plays the ball immediately after receiving the pass from Ponce.
McGlynn’s pass is perfectly weighted into the path of Guilherme (circled).
Guilherme (circled) eliminates Chicago defender Sam Rogers by taking his first touch across him. Rogers only option at this point is to foul Guilherme and get sent off for DOGSO. He doesn’t commit the foul and Guilherme has the space to now run in on goal.
As Guilherme (circled) drives forward towards the box, we can see the seperation he has from Rogers.
Guilherme (circled) gets into the box and takes his shot. Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady stayed on his line a while and is only about 5 yards out of goal when the Brazilian shoots for the bottom corner.
The ball (circled) nestled into the bottom corner for Houston’s first goal of the 2026 season to start the comeback on the night.
Guilherme added a second goal eleven minutes later to give the Dynamo the 2-1 win and get the new MLS campaign off to a flying start.
