The Houston Dynamo closed their first preseason trip with a 9-1 aggregate victory over their USL affiliate, RGV FC. The game was divided into three 30-minute periods, and the Dynamo rotated players throughout the contest. Houston won the three periods 1-0, 3-0 and 4-1, respectively.
The Dynamo opened the scoring as the first period was coming to an end. In the 27th minute, goalkeeper Chris Seitz sent a long punt down the left side, springing forward Andrew Wenger toward the byline. Wenger sent in a cross that found midfielder Arturo Alvarez, who took a touch and buried a left-footed shot in the lower left corner.
The Dynamo found the net early and often in the second period. In the third minute, midfielder Charlie Ward took a left-footed shot from 18 yards out, forcing the RGV goalkeeper into a diving save to give the Dynamo a corner kick. Midfielder Pablo Aguilar stepped to the corner spot and delivered a cross to the middle of the box where defender Justin Bilyeu headed the ball into the net. Seven minutes later, forward Mac Steeves intercepted an errant pass and found himself in alone atop the RGV penalty area. The rookie calmly buried his shot into the net for his first professional goal.
The Dynamo found the net once more in the 25th minute when defender Manny Padilla hustled to win the ball back. Padilla played the ball down the right side to midfielder Marcelo Palomino, who cut the ball back to midfielder Eric Bird for a right-footed shot into the top left corner.
In the third period, the Dynamo brought out a more veteran lineup and added five more goals to their total. Forwards Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas combined for three goals, with a tap-in from midfielder Memo Rodriguez and an RGV own goal rounding out the scoring. RGV pulled one goal back thanks to a solo effort from a trialist for the Toros. The first Dynamo goal came from Elis, who headed the ball in after the RGV FC goalkeeper saved a diving header from defender Philippe Senderos off a corner kick.
Shortly after, Manotas scored his first goal of the night with a flicked header off a corner. Rodriguez followed when he tapped in a sitter after Elis worked to the byline and laid the ball off. Manotas got his second with a right-footed shot in the 21st minute of the period, and RGV answered a moment later. The own goal rounded out the scoring in the 26th minute of the period.
The Dynamo will return home on Sunday and resume their preseason work on Monday morning at Houston Sports Park.
RGV FC 1-9 Houston Dynamo
Preseason Friendly
February 3, 2018 – H-E-B Park – Edinburg, Texas
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Arturo Alvarez 1 (Chris Seitz and Andrew Wenger 1) 27 first period
HOU: Justin Bilyeu 1 (Pablo Aguilar 1) 3 second period
HOU: Mac Steeves 1 (unassisted) 10 second period
HOU: Eric Bird 1 (Manny Padilla and Marcelo Palomino 1) 25 second period
HOU: Alberth Elis 2 (unassisted) 10 third period
HOU: Mauro Manotas 1 (GarcÃa 1) 17 third period
HOU: Memo Rodriguez 1 (Alberth Elis 1) 18 third period
HOU: Mauro Manotas 2 (unassisted) 21 third period
RGV: Trialist 22 third period
HOU: Own Goal 26 third period
Houston Dynamo first period: Chris Seitz; George Malki, Adolfo Machado, Leonardo, Dylan Remick; Eric Bird, Charlie Ward; Arturo Alvarez, Tomás MartÃnez, Andrew Wenger; Mac Steeves
Houston Dynamo second period: Patrick McLain; Manny Padilla, Mekeil Williams, Kevin Garcia, Justin Bilyeu; Eric Bird, Charlie Ward; Marcelo Palomino, Pablo Aguilar, Andrew Wenger (Memo Rodriguez 16); Mac Steeves
Houston Dynamo third period: Michael Nelson; Kevin Garcia, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Philippe Senderos, DaMarcus Beasley; Darwin Cerén, Eric Alexander; Alberth Elis, Boniek GarcÃa, Memo Rodriguez; Mauro Manotas
Discipline:
HOU: Alejandro Fuenmayor (foul) 14 third period
