Playing down a man for more than two thirds of the match, Houston Dynamo 2 were held scoreless for the first time since June as they fell 1-0 to Colorado Rapids 2 at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium this evening. Dynamo Dos close the weekend tied on points with North Texas SC at 46 in the Western Conference.
Colorado took the lead in the 88th minute after Daouda Amadou capitalized on a turnover inside the box. Amadou played the ball to Philip Mayaka for the lone goal of the game. The Dynamo backline weathered 16 shots prior to conceding in the final minutes of the match. Dynamo 2 defenders blocked seven shots on the evening evening and goalkeeper Andrew Pannenberg finished with four saves against the Rapids.
The Dynamo 2 backline entered the match having conceded the fewest goals in the Western Conference, and that mark remains intact despite the loss in Colorado. Houston is currently tied with Columbus Crew 2 for the fewest goals conceded this season with 22.
Dynamo 2 were forced to play with 10 men for 68 minutes following the ejection of forward Kyle Edwards for a bad foul in the 22nd minute. Both sides ended the night with 10 players after Colorado’s Ralph Priso-Mbongue received his second yellow card following a reckless foul in the 76th minute.
The Dynamo backline faced early pressure in the opening 15 minutes as they faced three shots from the hosts. The backline blocked the first two efforts and Darren Yapi’s shot from inside the box in the 12th minute went wide of the near post.
Pannenberg was well positioned to deny Yepi again in the 18th minute and again two minutes later following a breakaway run from the Rapids forward.
Right back Mujeeb Murana won a corner kick in the 27th minute to spark Houston’s first threat of the match. The corner kick found a Dynamo 2 player inside the box, but the header was off target. Left back Isaiah LeFlore had Houston’s final shot of the game in the second minute of stoppage time, but his effort was off target.
Dynamo Dos will play their final regular-season home match on Sunday, Sept. 18 against North Texas SC. The winner of the match could host a match in the postseason pending the outcome of the final round of games in Week 27. Tacoma Defiance currently sit at the top of the Western Conference with 49 points and St. Louis CITY 2 are currently one point behind in second place.
