Houston Dynamo 2 earned their 11th victory of the season earlier today following a 3-1 triumph over Timbers 2 at Providence Park. Dynamo 2 close the weekend above the playoff line in the Western Conference with 40 points. Two games remain in the regular season and Dynamo 2 will face North Texas SC at home and LA Galaxy II on the road to close the campaign.
Houston took the lead in the fifth minute after forward Jacob Evans suffered a foul outside the box. Dynamo Academy product Diego Gonzalez took the ensuing free kick and found the top corner of the near post for his 10th goal of the season.
Houston doubled their lead in the 25th minute following a corner kick that was forced by forward Papa Ndoye. The forward forced a save and the ensuing free kick found Evans inside the box. The English playmaker found defender Tate Lampman inside the box for his first goal of the year.
Gonzalez tallied an assist in the opening minutes of the second half after he found Isaiah LeFloreunmarked at the far post. LeFlore’s first-touch finish was his second goal of the campaign. The outside back also scored in Houston’s 2-1 victory over North Texas SC on July 16.
Timbers 2 pulled a goal back in the 61st minute off a cross from Diego Gutiérrez that found Tega Ikoba at the far post.
Midfielder Charles Auguste found Ndoye in space in the 24th minute, the forward played a ball to the far post for Gonzalez, but his effort went wide of the goal.
Ndoye forced a save in the 37th minute after he dribbled into the box and along the endline. The forward dribbled past a defender to create space for a shot that was handled by the Timbers 2 goalkeeper.
Dynamo 2 goalkeeper Andrew Pannenberg was well positioned in the 37th minute to handle Gutiérrez’s free kick for his first save of the evening.
Gonzalez won the ball near midfield in the final moments of the first half to force a save. The ball was ultimately played to* Isaiah Reid*, but his effort was saved at the near post by the right foot of the Timbers 2 goalkeeper.
Ndoye was denied in the 51st minute after his effort was initially saved by the Timbers 2 goalkeeper and quickly cleared by the Timbers 2 backline at goal line.
The far post denied Evans’ long-range effort in the 69th minute.
Timbers 2 were awarded a penalty kick in the 70th minute after a foul from Auguste inside the box. Pannenberg would save the ensuing penalty kick from Florián Monzón to preserve Houston’s two-goal lead.
Pannenberg made a point-blank save in the final moments of the match to deny Dawson McCartney’s acrobatic effort inside the box. The Dynamo 2 shot stopper finished with six saves against Timbers 2.
Dynamo 2 return to SaberCats Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 17 to host North Texas SC for the final home match of the regular season. The match will kick off at 5:30 p.m. CT and Dynamo 2 will close the regular season on the road against Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sept. 24.
