Houston Dynamo at St. Louis CITY SC player ratings

(image via Houston Dynamo FC)

The Houston Dynamo lost 2-1 to St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, ending their unbeaten run. Let’s take a look at how everyone performed.

Starters

Jonathan Bond - 5.5

Bond made a couple of saves but wasn’t at his sharpest. He probably could have done more on St. Louis’ first goal, which put Houston on the back foot early.

Lawrence Ennali - 6

Ennali worked hard but struggled to make much of an impact going forward. His defensive effort was there, but St. Louis limited his opportunities.

Lucas Halter - 6

St. Louis’ aggressive press made it a difficult night for Halter to control the ball and build from the back like we’ve seen all season. His late yellow also means he’ll miss this weekend’s match through suspension.

Agustin Resch - 7

A difficult night for the young centerback, but Resch continued to battle. He was unlucky on the defensive clearances that eventually led to St. Louis’ winner.

Marcelo Saracchi - 6

Saracchi grew into the game in his first start and showed more confidence going forward, getting a few shots off. Unfortunately, none of them created much danger.

Artur - 7.5

Artur did his best to deal with St. Louis’ dynamic midfield, but he found himself stretched more often than usual. Still, he battled all night and continued to provide energy in the middle.

Diadie Samassekou - 6

Like Artur, Samassékou found himself pulled out of position by St. Louis’ movement. He was also unlucky to have his block deflect into the path of the attacker for the opening goal.

Agustin Bouzat - 6

Bouzat worked hard but struggled to find much space or influence in the attacking third. St. Louis made life difficult for Houston’s forwards.

Jack McGlynn - 7.5

Clearly Houston’s best player on the night. McGlynn was very active going forward, looking to create and move the ball through St. Louis’ press.

Mateusz Bogusz - 6.5

Bogusz had several chances, including a long-distance strike that hit the crossbar. He also thought he had scored, only for VAR to rule him offside by the smallest of margins.

Duncan McGuire - 6

Another frustrating night for McGuire. Maybe Ponce was never the problem, perhaps it’s the scheme. McGuire battled but wasn’t given enough opportunities to make a difference.

Substitutes

Felipe Andrade - 6.5

Provided fresh legs and helped stabilize the right side after coming on. Solid without making a major impact.

Hector Herrera - 6.5

Brought experience and composure to midfield, but had a costly moment late in the match when he carelessly lost possession, helping spark the attack that ultimately led to St. Louis’ winning goal.

Aliyu Ibrahim - 7

Found himself in exactly the right spot at the right time. His finish gave Houston the equalizer and brought the Dynamo back into the match.

Franco Negri and Duane Holmes - N/A

Limited minutes and little opportunity to influence the match.

Head Coach

Ben Olsen - 7

Olsen shuffled his lineup as Houston managed minutes and injuries, most notably leaving Guilherme on the bench after the Brazilian suffered a strained ankle following a physical match against Vancouver. Despite the changes, the performance answered an important question: what does this Dynamo team look like without Guilherme? The answer is that it’s still a very competitive team, even if St. Louis ultimately found a way to take all three points.