The Houston Dynamo Academy opened their 2011 regular season on Saturday with two wins over Andromeda FC at the Houston Amatuer Sports Park. The U-18s, led by former U.S. U-17 national team goalkeeper Fernando Piña (Challenge Early College) shut out the visitors 2-0, while the U-16s rode a first-half goal from Carlos Ibarra (Pasadena Dobie) to a 1-0 victory.
Saturday also marked the first time the Dynamo had six teams playing in league action on the same day, with the Dynamo Pre-Academy teams taking the field for the first time in competitive play and the Dynamo first team playing at Robertson Stadium in the night-cap. With all three Pre-Academy teams winning their opening matches and the Dynamo first team defeating San Jose 2-1 Saturday night, the Dynamo organization finished 6-0 on the day.
The U-18s played the early game on Saturday, although kickoff was pushed back 20 minutes due to weather delays. The delay did not slow the home team down, though, as the Dynamo nearly got on the board in the fifth minute when Piña showed off his first-class distribution by sending a long ball down the left flank onto the foot of winger Isaiah Noreiga (Humble Kingwood Park). Noreiga took the ball into the corner, beat a defender, and sent a cross into the box. Christian Diaz (Cy Falls) took one touch and fired with his left foot, but his shot attempt just missed the target.
Ten minutes into the match, the bad weather returned, and all teams were forced to clear the park to allow the storm to pass. After a 30-minute delay, play resumed and the Dynamo picked up where they left off. Once again, Noreiga found himself one-on-one with an Andromeda defender. The Trinidadian midfielder beat his man and sent a looping cross into the box. This time Diaz volleyed the ball out of the air, but his attempt hit the right post and was cleared away. In the 28th minute, Noreiga sought Diaz for a third time, but the Andromeda goalkeeper did well to make a diving save on the header and keep the game scoreless.
Although both teams had opportunities in the first half, neither club was able to beat the opposing goalkeeper. Piña proved once again why he is considered one of the premier goalkeepers for his age group in the country, making four saves on the afternoon and commanding his defense well.
Bryan Salazar (Fort Bend Bush) entered the game for Houston in the 54th minute, and the move paid immediate dividends. Within seconds of coming on to the field, the speedy winger received the ball, beat two men down the wing, and crossed to Lorenzo Salazar (Houston Austin). The latter Salazar did well to beat his defender to the near post, but Andromeda goalkeeper Garrett Closs was able to stick a foot out and stop the shot.
It was not long, though, before the Dynamo broke through the Andromeda defense and opened the scoring. In the 56th minute, Lorenzo Salazar received the ball on the left flank, took on a defender, and appeared to be tripped in the penalty area. The referee allowed play to continue, and as the ball rolled out 30 yards from goal, midfielder Jorge Andrade (Cy Ridge) took two touches and sent a long shot past the helpless goalkeeper. The goal immediately changed the mood of the Dynamo bench from one of frustration to one of jubilation.
Houston did not stop there, however, as Bryan Salazar had two attempts on net only minutes after Andrade's goal. The first shot was saved by Closs, but on the second, Salazar intercepted a poor pass by a defender and, with only the goalkeeper to beat, calmly placed the ball into the back of the net.
Frustration boiled over for Andromeda as midfielder Jairo Samuel Villalta, who played a pivotal role in the midfield for the visiting club, was ejected in the 60th minute for an elbow to the back of the head of Dynamo midfielder Alan Arellano (Cy Creek). Although the Dynamo played with a numerical advantage for the remaining 30 minutes, Piña was forced to make two saves to preserve the shutout and give the Dynamo their first win of the season.
In the second match of the Academy doubleheader, the U-16s defeated Andromeda 1-0 behind a 25th-minute goal from midfielder Carlos Ibarra and a clean sheet from goalkeeper Carlos Garcia.
In Pre-Academy league action, the Dynamo U-15s defeated Andromeda 3-1 behind goals from Christina Lucatero, Gabriel Camera, and Jose Duarte. The Dynamo U-14s defeated Andromeda 3-0 behind goals from Carlos Valdez, Thomas Hollis, and Andrew Canales. In the final match of the day, the Dynamo U-13s defeated Andromeda 4-0 behind goals from Matthew Alzate, Gianluca Natera, Alejandro Lezama, and Christian Nelson.
All five teams return to action this weekend with matches against Houston-area club Texas Rush. The U-18s kick off at 12 noon at the Houston Amateur Sports Park, with the U-16s to follow at 2:30. In Pre-Academy League action, the U-13s and U-14s kicking off at 10 a.m. and the U-15s at 12 noon. All games will be played at the Houston Amateur Sports Park.
U-18: Andromeda (0-1-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (1-0-0)
September 17, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Jorge Andrade (unassisted) 56
HOU -- Bryan Salazar (unassisted) 58
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Fernando Piña, Christian Gonzalez, Bradley Bourgeois, Erick Tello, Alex Ochoa, Christian Diaz (Bryan Salazar 54), Alan Arellano, Jorge Andrade (Juan Lopez 76), Isaiah Noreiga, Manuel Chavez, Lorenoz Salazar (Emmanuel Ubadinobi 87).
U-16: Andromeda (0-1-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (1-0-0)
September 17, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
USSF Development Academy League -- Texas Division
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Carlos Ibarra 25
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Carlos Garcia, Matt Alarcon (Garrett Welch 50), Scott Brown, Luis Esquivel, PolicarpoRodriguez, Trey Richardson, Carlos Ibarra (Louis Thomas 70), Giovanni Najar, Gian Carlo Rojas (Josue Palomino 37, Matthew Dorsey 65), Jose Rodriguez (Irvin Ramirez 70), Elochukwu Ozumba (Denzel Ward 68).
U-15: Andromeda (0-1-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (1-0-0)
September 17, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
Texas Pre-Academy League
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Christian Lucatero
HOU -- Gabriel Camera
HOU -- Jose Duarte
U-14: Andromeda (0-1-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (1-0-0)
September 17, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
Texas Pre-Academy League
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Carlos Valdez
HOU -- Thomas Hollis
HOU -- Andrew Canales
U-13: Andromeda (0-1-0) vs. Houston Dynamo (1-0-0)
September 17, 2011 -- Houston Amateur Sports Park
Texas Pre-Academy League
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Matthew Alzate
HOU -- Gianluca Natera
HOU -- Alejandro Lezama
HOU -- Christian Nelson
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
