Houston Dynamo FC fell 1-0 on the road to Austin FC tonight after a late goal from the home team and a hard-fought match that saw Houston dominate possession for most of the 90 minutes.
The Dynamo now hold a 5-5-2 (WLD) record with 17 points in MLS play this season.
Austin broke the scoreless tie in the 87th minute after a loose ball from the corner delivery fell to Sebastian Driussi, who poked the ball into the back of the net. The action started early, as Austin’s Diego Rubio took a shot from the left edge of the box that bounced off the crossbar.
Houston’s first shot on goal came within two minutes of the match starting, as forwards Sebastian Kowalczyk and Aliyu Ibrahim worked together to dispossess an Austin defender. Ibrahim fed a ball to fellow forward Amine Bassi in the box, whose shot forced a diving save from goalkeeper Brad Stuver to send the ball behind the goal.
Austin almost opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Alexander Ring met a cross from the left side that bounced off the right post.
Houston forced another save in the 27th minute when a loose ball fell to Kowalczyk in the box, and the 25-year-old thought quickly to put his foot through a half-volley attempt.
Defender Erik Sviatchenko came up with a key block in the 49th minute when a ball fell to Jader Obrian with space in the box. The 32-year-old’s positioning kept the match scoreless.
A few minutes later, Sviatchenko snapped a header towards goal after Bassi delivered the ball into the box from a set piece, forcing a quick reaction save from Stuver in the top corner. On the ensuing corner, the Danish international put the ball on frame again, but Stuver caught the attempt.
Goalkeeper Steve Clark was called into action in the 57th minute, when an Austin set piece delivery forced the veteran shot stopper to punch the ball away. The play marked Clark’s first of three saves on the night.
Midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla took a shot from the edge of the box in the 69th minute, but his speedy low attempt went just wide of the far post.
Ibrahim produced a strong half volley strike in the 73rd minute, glancing the outside of the left post.
Clark was called into action again in the 74th minute, finding himself in a good position to swallow up a shot from Alexander Ring from inside the box.
Bassi managed his fourth shot of the night in the 84th minute, when Kowalczyk played a quick ball to captain Héctor Herrera, who entered the match in the 61st minute. The Mexican international touched the ball on to Bassi, whose low shot did not have enough power or bend to beat Stuver.
Clark stepped up again to keep Houston in the match in the second of six added minutes, stopping another corner attempt from Driussi.
The Dynamo return home on Saturday, May 18, to wrap up rivalry week hosting FC Dallas in the second leg of the Texas Derby. Tickets for that match at Shell Energy Stadium are available HERE.
