Ponce goal sends Dynamo to win over St. Louis
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
The Houston Dynamo returned to Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night, looking to put an end to their three match losing streak. St. Louis CITY SC were the opponents, a team the Dynamo have never beaten in Major League Soccer play.
Duane Holmes made his first start for Houston with Felipe Andrade back in the eleven for the suspended Griffin Dorsey. The first half was the definition of a back and forth affair with both teams holding about 50% of possession, but with no real scoring chances to speak of.
Ben Olsen brought Lawrence Ennali on to begin the second half, to replace Duane Holmes, and look to inject some pace into the Houston attack. Ennali’s ability to run at defenders and get to the end line and deliever crosses has been a facet that the Dynamo have sorely missed.
Erik Sviatchenko, who made his second straight start after returning from injury, cut onto his left at the top of the box and put a shot on target that St. Louis keeper Roman Burki saved. Sviatchenko immediately went down in pain. Judging by his disappointment it looked like another instance of his hamstring injury. The Danish veteran could not continue and was replaced by Ethan Bartlow.
The Dynamo broke the deadlock in the 66th minute after peppering crosses into the box eventually paid off. Bartlow lifted a ball to the back post that Franco Escobar turned across goal. Andrade got to it at the far post and fired back in front of goal. Ezequiel Ponce was there to turn the ball in and give Houston the 1-0 lead.
Burki made a big save on Ponce just moments after the goal that could have doubled the lead, but the Swiss goalkeeper did well to get his palm out to keep the ball out. The goal seemed to help the Dynamo settle into the match much more. Houston held the ball and looked to spring Ennali down the left wing when given the chance. Jonathan Bond was forced into a save in the sixth minute of stoppage time on a Cedric Teuchert effort but the Englishman punched it away.
With the final whistle signaling a 1-0 win for Houston, the three match losing streak came to and end. Getting a clean sheet, after conceding three goals in each of those losses is also a big step forward. The Dynamo will next travel to Southern California for their first meeting with San Diego FC next Saturday. That match will kick off at 9:40 PM.