Dynamo 2sday: Dos Fall Late to West Leading St. Louis
(image via St. Louis CITY SC)
Houston Dynamo 2 traveled to Missouri last week for a tough test against the Western Conference leaders, St. Louis CITY2. The hosts, riding a five-match winning streak, looked to keep their momentum going at home, while Dynamo Dos aimed to break their run of matches without a win in regulation time.
Head coach Marcelo Santos stuck with a familiar starting XI with slight rotations, as he's done throughout the season. Pedro Cruz started in goal—coming off recent recognition earlier in the week—with a backline of Isaac Mwakutuya, Jayden Puna, Daniel Barrett, and Juan Viveros. In midfield, captain Sebastian Rodriguez partnered with Noah Betancourt, while Enrique Correa, Joshua Bolma, and Exon Arzu supported Stephen Annor up front.
The opening minutes were intense and fast-paced, with both teams exchanging blows early. CITY2 had a clear chance when Brendan McSorley found himself alone in the box with only Cruz to beat, but he failed to get a shot on target, keeping the match scoreless.
In the 36th minute, Arzu tested CITY2 goalkeeper Colin Welsh with a shot from distance, but it was handled comfortably. Just before the break, a bizarre sequence unfolded: a clearance from a Dynamo 2 defender ricocheted off the face of a CITY2 player and landed perfectly at the feet of Miguel Perez, who slotted the ball into the net. However, after a brief consultation and protest, referee Esad Omanovic ruled the play offside, and the goal was disallowed—sending both sides into halftime locked at 0–0.
The second half featured more cautious build-up, with CITY2’s Matteo Kidd firing a left-footed shot just over the bar in the 60th minute. The match appeared destined for another shootout—until the 86th minute.
A well-placed cross into the six-yard box found Emil Jääskeläinen, who calmly took one touch to control and another to finish past Cruz, delivering the game’s lone goal and securing the win for CITY2.
With that, St. Louis extended their winning streak to six, while Houston Dynamo Dos will look to bounce back on the road next weekend. Their next challenge comes against Colorado Rapids 2 on Sunday, July 6.
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