The bad news was that the players trying out for the Dynamo lost their competitive match Wednesday in the final round of the Dynamo Trials 2008, presented by LALA.
The good news was that they lost to the Dynamo. The U-18 Dynamo, that is.
With first-team coaches Dominic Kinnear, John Spencer, and Mike Toshack looking on, the Dynamo Academy rolled to a 3-1 win at the Presbyterian School’s Outdoor Education Campus to conclude the Dynamo Trials.
Dynamo Director of Youth Development James Clarkson said he would confer with the first-team coaches and inform players next week if any have been invited to train with the Dynamo.
The Academy outshot the Trials team 22-5, and the Trials needed nine saves from University of North Carolina goalkeeper Tyler Deric, currently on the Dynamo’s Home-Grown Player List, to stay in the game.
After a spotty start from both sides, the Academy took the lead in the 20th minute when forward Carlos Recinos (Cy Ridge) stole the ball at the edge of the penalty area and fired a near-post shot past Deric. Although the Trials squad played with the wind in the first half, the Academy continued to press, and Deric soon made an outstanding save on a Samir Pena (North Shore) header after a good cross from Recinos.
In the second half, the Dynamo Academy quickly established its dominance by scoring in the 51st minute. Pena created the goal with a surging run up the middle before slipping a pass to Alex Dixon (Humble Atascocita), who touched the ball on for Recinos to finish past a charging Deric.
Dixon should have made it 3-0 shortly after when he chipped Deric from 30 yards, but the chip landed in the penalty area and bounced over the goal. Deric denied Dixon himself in the 63rd minute, and the Trials team alertly cleared the ball off the line.
The Trials team created its best chance of the game soon after, with second-half sub Musa Sesay producing a strong run up the middle, but Academy goalkeeper Jonathan Leon (Cy Woods) made a point-blank save.
In the 75th minute, the Academy put the game away when Eduardo Munguia (Sharpstown) broke free on the left and squared the ball for Matt Kirby (Beaumont Monsignor Kelly), who one-timed the ball into the back of the net.
The Trials squad did pull a goal back in the 82nd minute when Arie Muniz unleashed a 40-yard rocket to the top left corner, but it was too little, too late.
After trying their best to impress first-team coaches, players from both teams will wait in hopes of earning a rare invitation to train with the Dynamo.
Dynamo Trials vs. Dynamo Academy
April 30, 2008 -- Outdoor Education Campus, Presbyterian School
Scoring Summary:
ACAD -- Carlos Recinos (unassisted) 20
ACAD -- Carlos Recinos (Alex Dixon, Samir Pena) 51
ACAD -- Matt Kirby (Eduardo Munguia) 75
TRIAL -- Arie Muniz (unassisted) 82
Dynamo Trials -- Tyler Deric, Fernando Murillo, Michael Moore, Hector Salinas (Arie Muniz), Arie Muniz (Musa Sesay), Benjamin Gilmore (Hector Salinas), Sekou Cisse, Arzhang Salahshoor, Carlos Cooper, Michael Brice Wamo Njoubi Mba (Alex Guerrero), Carlos Pelaez (Michael Brice Wamo Njoubi Mba).
Dynamo Academy -- Rommel Morales (Jonathan Leon), Amaury Ponce (Mateo Jimenez), Edward Estrada, Matthew Boult, Gerardo Gomez, Mitchell Cardenas (Josue Garcia), Clayton Holz (Alan Cuevas), Alex Dixon (Felipe Marin), Matt Kirby (Edgar Montoya), Carlos Recinos (Eduardo Munguia), Samir Pena (Christian Cruz).
Misconduct Summary:
ACAD -- Alex Dixon (caution) 35
ACAD -- Gerardo Gomez (caution) 56
ACAD -- Felipe Marin (caution) 88
