The Houston Dynamo saw their road woes continue with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Union in front of 15,234 fans at Talen Energy Stadium Wednesday evening.
A pair of first-half goals from the Union spelled doom for the Dynamo, who were unable to recreate the wide-open and free-flowing playing style in which they have thrived at home this season.
The Union opened the scoring in the 17th minute when midfielder Chris Pontius sent a cross from the right side to the center of the box where midfielder Fafa Picault outjumped the Dynamo defense and smashed a headed shot off of the crossbar and into the net.
The Union increased the lead before the first half came to an end when forward C.J. Sapong passed the ball to Pontius inside the box in the 38th minute. Pontius sent a low cross to the middle of the box and Brazilian midfielder Ilsinho tapped the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal from the penalty spot.
The opening goal came just after a dangerous Dynamo chance in the 16th minute. Forward Erick Torres picked up an errant ball 40 yards from goal, dribbled the ball past defender Oguchi Onyewu and into the penalty area, but his right-footed shot was stopped by goalkeeper Andre Blake.
The Union had another dangerous chance in the 25th minute on a counter attack off of a blocked free kick for the Dynamo. Ilsinho recovered the rebound after Dynamo forward Romell Quioto’s free kick and carried it by himself from one side of the field to near the Dynamo box before blasting a right-footed shot that cracked off the left post.
Just before the Union’s second goal, the Dynamo had an opportunity to tie the score. Quioto played a pass to forward Mauro Manotas, who took a low right-footed shot from 15 yards that was saved by Blake.
Houston appeared to pull a goal back in second-half stoppage time when forward Andrew Wenger raced to the end line and dragged a pass to the six-yard box where forward Vicente Sánchez put it in the net, but the assistant referee waved the goal off after the ball crossed the end line before Wenger’s pass.
The Dynamo will continue the 2017 season, presented by 76, on Saturday, May 20 at 6:00 p.m. CDT against Atlanta United at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Philadelphia Union (3-4-4; 13 pts.) 2-0 Houston Dynamo (6-4-1; 19 pts.)
MLS Week 12
May 17, 2017 – Talen Energy Stadium, Chester, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 15,234
Scoring Summary:
PHI: Fafa Picault 2 (Chris Pontius 5) 17
PHI: Ilsinho 1 (C.J Spaong 2, Chris Pontius 6) 38
Philadelphia Union: Andre Blake; Raymon Gaddis (Keegan Rosenberry 61), Jack Elliott, Oguchi Onyewu, Fabinho; Alejandro Bedoya, Haris Medunjanin; Chris Pontius, Ilsinho (Warren Creavalle 67), Fafa Picault (Fabian Herbers 76); C.J. Sapong
Unused Substitutes: John McCarthy, Jay Simpson, Richie Marquez, Adam Najem
Total shots: 9 (Fafa Picault 3); Shots on goal: 4 (Alejandro Bedoya, Ilsinho, Fafa Picault, C.J. Sapong 1); Fouls: 16 (Fabinho 3); Offside: 2 (Chris Pontius, C.J. Sapong 1); Corner kicks: 5 (Haris Medunjanin 5); Saves: 4
Houston Dynamo: Joe Willis; A.J. DeLaGarza, Adolfo Machado, Leonardo, DaMarcus Beasley; Ricardo Clark ©, Juan David Cabezas, Alex (Vicente Sánchez 56); Mauro Manotas (Andrew Wenger 64), Erick Torres, Romell Quioto (Joseph Holland 78)
Unused Substitutes: Tyler Deric, Jalil Anibaba, Boniek GarcÃa, Dylan Remick
Total shots: 11 (Erick Torres 6); Shots on goal: 4 (Mauro Manotas 2); Fouls: 10 (Alex, Juan David Cabezas, Erick Torres 2); Offside: 0; Corner kicks: 6 (Alex, Vicente Sánchez 3); Saves: 2
Discipline:
HOU: Leonardo caution (dissent) 39
HOU: Romell Quioto caution (dissent) 39
PHI: Raymon Gaddis caution (unsporting behavior) 47
HOU: Juan David Cabezas caution (unsporting behavior) 49
PHI: Keegan Rosenberry caution (time wasting) 83
OFFICIALS
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez
Assistant Referee 1: Jason White
Assistant Referee 2: Logan Brown
Fourth Official: Mark Geiger
