A pair of beautiful goals from Brian Ownby and Omar Cummings carried the Houston Dynamo to a 2-0 win over FC Tucson in a preseason scrimmage Monday morning at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.
Both Dynamo goals were similar in their distance and the minimal chance they offered the FC Tucson goalkeepers.
In the final seconds of the first half, Ownby settled a ball in the middle of the field and cracked a shot from 30 yards that sliced away from goalkeeper Michael D’Arrigo and into the upper corner. The strike was the final play of the first half and Ownby’s first goal of the preseason.
Cummings matched Ownby’s effort with a similarly spectacular goal in the 83rd minute. Servando Carrasco slid to win the ball near midfield and Cummings drove forward, with an FC Tucson defender close behind. The Jamaican forward tried his luck from 30 yards, drilling a shot into the upper corner for a 2-0 lead. It was Cummings’ second goal of the preseason and second straight game with a goal after netting the equalizer against San Jose on Saturday.
Houston opened the game with an early chance for Boniek García. In the fourth minute, the Honduran midfielder struck a half-volley from the top of the box that forced D'Arrigo to tip the shot over the crossbar for a corner kick.
Six minutes later, a nice sequence between Giles Barnes and Will Bruin near the center circle sprung Tony Cascio into the attacking half. Cascio dribbled forward before firing a shot from the top of the penalty area that forced another strong save from D'Arrigo, who dove to his left to keep the shot out.
FC Tucson’s best chance of the first half arrived in the 37th minute. Saed Robinson received a cross near the penalty spot but fired wide of the far post.
The Dynamo made ten changes to start the second half, with Cascio the only holdover from the starting group.
FC Tucson created two opportunities in the 53rd minute. First, Jason Romero fired past the left post from 12 yards. Moments later, Peter Kelly fed Martino Rapella near the penalty spot, but his shot stayed over the crossbar.
Among Houston’s halftime substitutes was goalkeeper Michael Lisch. The 2014 MLS SuperDraft third-round selection tripped Romero in the penalty area after the forward snuck in behind the Houston defense in the 63rd minute. FC Tucson was awarded a penalty and Lisch atoned, diving far to his right for a commanding stop of Romero’s spot kick, preserving a 1-0 lead.
Seven minutes later Houston midfielder Alex López delivered a well-placed ball over the Tucson defense and in front of a charging Jason Johnson. The Jamaican struck his header well but goalkeeper Victor Rodriguez made a quick dive to his right and made the save.
Right back Kofi Sarkodie, the 2013 Dynamo Defender of the Year, entered the game in the 73rd minute for his preseason debut. A minute later, a quick break from the Dynamo began with a quality forward ball from Mark Sherrod to Omar Cummings near the corner. Cummings fed López near the penalty spot, but he fired wide.
Moments later, FC Tucson was reduced to ten players as Anthony Salticcia was shown a red card for a two-foot challenge on Dynamo trialist Sito Seoane. Lisch ensured the victory with another save in the 87th minute, diving to his left to repel a shot from Tucson’s Juan Nunez.
The Dynamo return to Houston on Monday afternoon before resuming preseason with a scrimmage against Houston Baptist University on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT at Sorrels Field on the campus of HBU.
Houston Dynamo vs. FC Tucson
February 10, 2014 – Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz.
Preseason Scrimmage
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Brian Ownby 1 (unassisted) 45
HOU: Omar Cummings 2 (unassisted) 83
Houston Dynamo – Tally Hall (Michael Lisch 46); Brian Ownby (Mike Chabala 46), David Horst (AJ Cochran 46), Eric Brunner (Euan Holden^ 46), Corey Ashe (Mark Sherrod 46); Tony Cascio (Kofi Sarkodie 73), Ricardo Clark (Servando Carrasco 46), Boniek García (Sito Seoane* 46), Brad Davis (Alex López 46); Giles Barnes (Omar Cummings 46), Will Bruin (Jason Johnson 46)
FC Tucson – Michael D’Arrigo (Victor Rodriguez 46); Travis Campbell, Edgar Reyna (Juan Nunez 61), Andres Acosta (Saeed Robinson 82), Peter Kelly (Ricardo Flores 73); Reid Schmitt (Anthony Salticcia 46), Carlos Montes, Clayton Zellin (Jason Romero 46), Zach Bolden, Martino Rapella (Reid Schmitt 59); Saeed Robinson (Dom Papa 46)
*Trialist
^Guest player
Discipline summary:
FCT: Anthony Salticcia (ejection) 75
