Houston Dynamo 2 is on the road for the first time in the inaugural 2022 season of MLS NEXT Pro, traveling to Lawrence, Kansas to take on Sporting KC II on Sunday, April 10 at 6 p.m. CT.
This matchup of two top-four teams in the Western Conference standings comes on the heels of Houston’s second consecutive win to open the season. In last week’s matchup against Earthquakes II, Houston won by a final score of 1-0. The lone goal in that match came off a set piece in the 7th minute that was headed home by forward Papa N’Doye for his first professional goal.
Thanks to two 1-0 wins to open the season, Dynamo 2 currently sits alone atop the MLS NEXT Pro standings as the only team with 6 points.
SKC II enters the matchup in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, holding a record of 1-0-1. In the team’s most recent game, SKC II travelled to Minnesota, where they defeated MNUFC2 by a final score of 2-0. The goals came from Collin Fernandez and Mataeo Bunbury, with Fernandez’s goal coming one minute and 41 seconds into the match for the fastest goal in MLS NEXT Pro history.
Last week’s Dynamo 2 match saw the debuts of multiple players, including defender Sterling Penniston-John, who started and went the full 90 minutes against Earthquakes II. In addition to making his first appearance for the team, the center back from Utah Valley University led the team in Expected Goals (Xg) with a final total of 0.42. This number was tied with 17-year-old midfielder Brooklyn Raines, who signed a homegrown contract with the Dynamo in February.
Soccer is a two-way sport, and perhaps nobody in last week’s match embodied that ideal as much as forward Roberto Avila. Despite playing in the front line, Avila led the team in both duels and tackles, finishing with 15 and five, respectively. The next closest player in terms of tackles was midfielder Marcelo Palomino, who had two.
After this match, Dynamo Dos will next be in action when they host Timbers 2 on April 16 as part of a doubleheader with the Dynamo at PNC Stadium. For tickets and additional information, visit HoustonDynamoFC.com/Dynamo2.
