The Houston Dynamo Academy played Classics Elite on Sunday at the Houston Amateur Sports Park in their first home matches since September 24. With five games on the docket - two academy and three pre-academy - the Dynamo swept their visitors from San Antonio. With the Dynamo first team having defeated the Philadelphia Union 2-1 in their playoff match Sunday evening, the Dynamo organization finished 6-0 on the day for the second time this year.
The Dynamo U-18s kicked things off on Sunday with an impressive 2-0 win. Playing without starting goalkeeper Fernando Piña (Challenge Early College) and midfielder Alan Arellano (Cy Creek), the Dynamo controlled the tempo and tested the Classics goalkeeper early and often. Houston broke through in the seventh minute when midfielder Jorge Contreras netted his first career Dynamo Academy goal. The play began from goalkeeper Leopoldo Castillo - who earned his first Dynamo victory on Sunday - and continued up through the midfield, until Jorge Andrade (Cy Ridge) slotted Contreras through behind the Classics defense. Although the Dynamo had numerous opportunities to put the game away in the first half, the Classics goalkeeper did well to keep his team in the match.
In the 75th minute, the Dynamo doubled their lead behind a goal from forward Lorenzo Salazar (Houston Austin). Andrade picked up the ball on the right wing and found a streaking Salazar to the near post. Salazar took one touch and hammered home his first goal of the season. With the win, the Dynamo U-18s improved to 2-1-2 on the season. For the group of players who played on the U-16 team last season and moved up to the U-18 team this season, Sunday's win maintained a nine-game unbeaten streak at the Houston Amateur Sports Park, dating back to April 30, 2011.
Following the U-18s victory, the Dynamo U-16s took the field and defeated Classics 2-1. Houston got on the board early off a set piece. In the 20th minute, Gian Carlo Rojas sent a looping corner kick into the box and Scott Brown headed it past the Classics goalkeeper for his first career goal. Down 1-0, Classics began to throw numbers forward and press the Dynamo defenders. Classics evened the match in the 33rd minute when a miscommunication on the backline resulted in a headed ball bouncing through the legs of Dynamo goalkeeper Fauricio Cruz.
In the second half, Houston came out strong, moving the ball well and keeping possession from the visitors. The Dynamo broke through in the 65th minute for what proved to the game-winner. From 25 yards out, Giovanni Najar sent a free kick into the Classics penalty box and center back Michael Odenigwe was waiting on the back post to volley it into the net. The win improves the teams record to 3-1-1 and moves Houston into a two-way tie for third place in the division, although the Dynamo have played two fewer games than the teams ahead of them.
In Pre-Academy league action, the Dynamo U-15s defeated Classics 6-1 behind a hat trick from Dominic Montaño and goals from Giovanni Pacheco, Juan Martinez and Jacob Salome. The hat trick was the fifth ever by a Dynamo Academy player. The Dynamo U-14s defeated Classics 3-0 behind goals from Elias Ormsby, Alex Calderon, and a Classics own goal. Lastly, the Dynamo U-13s defeated Classics 4-0 behind goals from Daniel Welch, Hector Ramirez, Abdullah Mirzah, and Matias Preti.
All five teams return to action this weekend with matches against MLS-rival FC Dallas. The U-18s kick off Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Houston Amateur Sports Park, with the U-16s to follow at 4:30. The Pre-Academy games will take place on Saturday with the U-13s and U-14s kicking off at 2 p.m. and the U-15s at 4 p.m. All games will be played at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
U-18: Classics Elite (1-5-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (2-1-2)
October 30, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Jorge Contreras (Jorge Andrade) 7
HOU -- Lorenzo Salazar (Jorge Andrade) 75
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Leopoldo Castillo, Christian Gonzalez, Bradley Bourgeois, Erick Tello, Alex Ochoa, Jorge Contreras (Isaiah Noreiga 57), Raymundo Marquez (Emmanuel Ubadinobi 79), Jorge Andrade (Christian Camera 79), Jose Cubillan (Christian Diaz 65), Manuel Chavez (Juan Lopez 57), Lorenzo Salazar.
U-16: Classics Elite (0-5-1) vs. Houston Dynamo (3-1-1)
October 30, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Scott Brown (Gian Carlo Rojas) 20
HOU -- Own goal 33
HOU -- Michael Odenigwe (Giovanni Najar) 65
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Fauricio Cruz, Policarpo Rodriguez (Garrett Welch 65), Michael Odenigwe, Scott Brown, Muchael Cusack, Gian Carlo Rojas (Matthew Dorsey 72), Trey Richardson (Luis Thomas 65), Giovanni Najar, Irvin Ramirez (Josue Palomino 60), Jose Rodriguez (Denzel Ward 49), Elochukwu Ozumba (Carlos Ibarra 41).
U-15: Classics Elite (0-5-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (2-1-1)
October 30, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
Texas Pre-Academy League
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Dominic Montaño
HOU -- Dominic Montaño
HOU -- Dominic Montaño
HOU -- Giovanni Pacheco
HOU -- Juan Martinez
HOU -- Jacob Salome
CLA -- Goal
U-14: Classics Elite (0-5-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (3-1-0)
October 30, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
Texas Pre-Academy League
Scoring Summary:
CLA -- Own goal
HOU -- Elias Ormsby
HOU -- Alex Calderon
U-13: Classics Elite (1-4-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (3-1-0)
October 30, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
Texas Pre-Academy League
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Daniel Welch
HOU -- Hector Ramirez
HOU -- Abdullah Mirzah
HOU -- Matias Preti
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
