Dynamo 2sday: Dos Earn Two Points in St. Louis and Punch Their Playoff Ticket
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
Looking to get back to their winning ways as the postseason rapidly approaches, Houston Dynamo 2 head coach Jeremy Hurdle knew the matchup against St. Louis CITY 2 would be a difficult one. St. Louis was also chasing a spot near the top of the Western Conference, while Dynamo Dos needed two points to clinch their place in the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
This was the starting XI Hurdle selected for the matchup. Logan Erb started in goal, with Daniel Barrett, new signing Chibuike Ukaegbu, Vinicius Silva, and Reese Miller making up the defensive line. In midfield were Matthew Arana, Dohmann, Mattheo Dimareli, Jahmani Bell, and Samir Mohammad, while Austin Brummett was the lone striker. Brummett entered the match with nine goals and one assist on the season.
Dynamo Dos came out aggressively, registering two early shots on goal. Reese Miller recorded the first, followed shortly afterward by an attempt from Mattheo Dimareli as Houston looked to establish the pace of the match.
In the 17th minute, Austin Brummett took full advantage of a major mistake from the St. Louis back line. A poor pass left Brummett one-on-one with goalkeeper Colin Welsh. The Dynamo forward calmly picked out the bottom-right corner and placed the ball beyond Welsh to give Houston the 1-0 lead.
The goal was Brummett's 10th of the season and, at the time, temporarily moved Dynamo 2 into second place in the Western Conference.
In the 31st minute, Dimareli tested Welsh once again with a strong low shot from outside the box after quickly turning toward goal. Welsh responded well, getting down to make the save and sending the ball out for a corner as Dynamo Dos continued searching for a second.
St. Louis responded with pressure of its own. The home side won possession near the top of the Dynamo box, leading to a dangerous attempt that narrowly sailed over Erb's goal.
The second half began with another gift for Hurdle's team. A ball played out from the back eventually found the feet of Miguel Perez, who attempted to play the ball toward a teammate. However, the pass ended up splitting the St. Louis goalkeeper and defender. Both players appeared to expect the other to make a play on the ball, and neither committed until it was too late. The ball rolled into the back of the net to give Houston a 2-0 advantage and put the Orange in a commanding position.
The Dynamo defense held strong for much of the match, but St. Louis finally found a breakthrough in the 70th minute. A dead-ball cross from the right side was headed back into the dangerous area, where Nighte Pickering met the ball in the air and found the back of the net.
The goal gave the home side life, and St. Louis continued pushing forward in search of an equalizer. That equalizer would eventually come from another set piece.
In the 85th minute, St. Louis earned a corner kick from the left side. Logan Erb came off his line in an attempt to claim the ball but was unable to hold onto it. The rebound fell to Zack Lillington, who headed the loose ball into the net to make it 2-2.
Neither side could find a winner in the remaining minutes, sending the match to a penalty-kick shootout to determine the extra point.
Despite missing their first penalty, Dynamo 2 responded by converting their next three attempts. St. Louis scored its first penalty but couldn't find the net on any of its next three attempts.
The result gave Dynamo Dos the shootout victory and two points in the standings. The two points were important, but the biggest takeaway from the night came after the final whistle. Houston Dynamo 2 officially punched their ticket to the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs.
The postseason berth marks the fourth playoff appearance in Dynamo 2 history.
Hurdle's team will now return home with two points in hand and another major objective accomplished.
Dynamo Dos will host Minnesota United 2 on August 30 at 6:00 PM, looking to continue building momentum heading into the postseason.
