DYNAMO CONTINUE GOOD START
5 quick kicks from Dynamo vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
Mar 19, 2019, 6:40 am
DYNAMO CONTINUE GOOD START
The Houston Dynamo picked up their second win of the season with a 3-2 result over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday afternoon. Homegrown midfielder Memo Rodriguez scored his first MLS double, building on his MLS Goal of the Week performance last week, to help the team improve to a 2-0-1 record.
Here are five observations from the win:
1) Got the three points
Houston Dynamo vs. Vancouver Whitecaps | HIGHLIGHTS - March 16, 2019www.youtube.com
This was a back-and-forth match that could've gone to either side. While Vancouver didn't generate half of the Dynamo's opportunities, they certainly did enough to scare Houston with the goals they scored in each half.
Vancouver winger Lass Bangoura entered at the beginning of the second half to reignite the offense for the Canadians, tying the game at 2-2 in the 54th minute. Alberth Elis, who was vital in the Dynamo's first goal, assisted Rodriguez on the game-winning goal in a play that relied heavily on his speed to outrun Whitecaps midfielder Victor Giro. Vancouver would keep pressing to tie the game but the Dynamo outlasted them to get the win.
To get seven points (out of nine possible) to start the season is great during any year but credit to the Dynamo for doing so with the added schedule of the Concacaf Champions League, an obligation that has seen them play a total of seven games in the last month. It's the best start so far from an MLS CCL participant this season and, while they've yet to face any of the league's heavy-hitters, it's a noteworthy feat.
2) Memo and Lundkvist state their case for more minutes
Memo Rodriguez was ticked off on his way to the team bus after Tuesday's 1-0 loss at Tigres UANL where he didn't feature despite scoring the MLS Goal of the Week last Saturday vs. Montreal. The 23-year-old only used it as fuel and showed up with two goals this week, stretching his case for more minutes after playing only 1,050 in his previous two seasons combined.
Adam Lundkvist, the club's third-highest earning player in 2018, put forth a good performance in that match against Tigres after subbing in the 20th minute due to a DaMarcus Beasley injury. He fared well, making his case to challenge the four-time FIFA World Cup veteran for the starting job. With Beasley out due to a knee injury, Lundkvist got the start and was heavily involved in the offense - posting a team-high seven crosses.
3) Alberth Elis back on the prowl
One of the stars of the team, Alberth Elis, had his best performance of 2019 by far. It was a good sight for Dynamo fans and one that was due after the Honduran forward's quiet start to the season. Elis is expected to be one of the catalysts of the Dynamo offense but had only generated six shots through the team's six matches in Concacaf Champions League and MLS combined. On Saturday, Elis looked more like the version of himself that started 2017 with eight goals and five assists in the first 12 games - catapulting him to a 2017 MLS All-Star appearance.
"La Panterita" (the little panther) along with teammates Romell Quioto and Maynor Figueroa will join Honduras for an international friendly against Ecuador on March 26 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
4) Midfield holds up
One of the big questions coming into 2019 was how the team would fare if midfielder Juan David Cabezas was sidelined again. JDC was a big part of the Dynamo's success in 2017 and his absence last season was felt in the standings. After just one game this season, Cabezas is injured again and his return is unknown. Argentine Matias Vera, one of the team's key offseason acquisitions, has fared well and has obviously given the team the important depth it was lacking at that position. What remains to be seen is how they are tested against better opposition or more challenging situations - like going on the road, which they'll do for their next match. For now, it's so far so good for the Houston Dynamo.
5) The attendance issue
#HOUvVAN during national anthem. Attendance announced: 13,549 #mls #foreverorange https://t.co/4hnAEFc5E5— Victor Araiza (@Victor Araiza) 1552787189.0
Saturday's announced attendance for Houston vs. Vancouver was 13,549 - bringing the season average for MLS matches up to 14,641 per match. In an interview after the match, Houston Dynamo President John Walker said the following:
"We know we have a ways to go to actually do that but it's been sort of a steady decline over the last several years...We're trying to reach out to some of our past fans in ways that we haven't reached out to them before. It's really about building relationships with the fanbase and, third, the magic bullet there is for the team to play well - and they're playing well so that on its own should build some momentum. It'll be work in progress. It'll take us a couple of years to build the base back up but we feel good about the things that we have in place."
#ForeverOrange Manager Wilmer Cabrera on if the team [staff + players] is doing enough to connect with the communit… https://t.co/UZWCDU6QCg— Victor Araiza (@Victor Araiza) 1552790721.0
Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera added that the team is doing their part by providing results on the field but that is as much as the coaches and players can do.
Dynamo player of the game: Alberth Elis
"La Panterita" was all over the field on Saturday, taking part in all three Dynamo goals. He assisted the two Memo goals and drew the foul for the penalty and converted it. The question, long-term, will be consistency as the Honduran had a great start to 2018 but flared out as the season went on.
👏 @alberthelis17 makes his way into the @MLS Team of the Week presented by @Audi! @40_jrod also makes the bench:… https://t.co/bBw2BdFOtv— Houston Dynamo (@Houston Dynamo) 1552938006.0
Next up:
Saturday, March 30th at Colorado Rapids (8:00 p.m. CT, KUBE57)
There's still time to get your ticket, come support Houston in our effort to be a World Cup Host City!… https://t.co/16Fc8kNBsy— Houston Sports (@Houston Sports) 1552674236.0
The Dynamo have no game this week thanks to the FIFA break that sees leagues worldwide take a pause for international fixtures. BBVA Compass Stadium will see action during this window with the U.S. Men's National Team hosting Chile on March 26.
Miami (6-7) at Houston (8-5)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM Odds: Texans by 3.
Against the spread: Dolphins 5-8; Texans 5-6-2.
Series record: Texans lead 8-3.
Last meeting: Dolphins beat Texans 30-15, on Nov. 27, 2022, in Miami.
Last week: Dolphins beat Jets 32-26 in OT; Texans were off, beat Jaguars 23-20 on Dec. 1.
Dolphins offense: overall (19), rush (24), pass (14), scoring (23).
Dolphins defense: overall (9), rush (7), pass (11), scoring (T14).
Texans offense: overall (18), rush (16), pass (17), scoring (11).
Texans defense: overall (5), rush (10), pass (7), scoring (T12).
Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Texans plus-10.
QB Tua Tagovailoa, who has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL at throwing with anticipation and accuracy since he returned from a concussion in Week 8. Tagovailoa leads the NFL with a 73.8% completion rate and threw for 300 yards for the third straight game last week vs. the Jets. Tagovailoa is the first player in NFL history to have at least 40 pass attempts, multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions in three consecutive games within a single season.
QB C.J. Stroud has thrown for at least 225 yards in each of his six home games this season and is 11-4 in 15 starts in Houston, including the playoffs. He has thrown for 3,117 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season.
Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. Miami’s run defense. Mixon ran for 101 yards in Houston’s previous game for his seventh 100-yard game this season. He ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game. This week he’ll face a run defense that ranks seventh in the NFL by holding teams to 105.6 yards a game.
Miami LT Terron Armstead is dealing with a knee injury that limited him to just five snaps last week. He did not practice Wednesday… LBs Bradley Chubb (knee) and Cameron Goode (knee) could make their season debut, depending on how this week of practice goes, coach Mike McDaniel said. … WRs Tyreek Hill (wrist) and Jaylen Waddle (hamstring), RB Raheem Mostert (hip), and LB Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring) were among those limited in practice Wednesday. … Houston S Jalen Pitre is expected to miss a second straight game with a shoulder injury. … DE Denico Autry was limited in practice Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Houston won the first seven meetings in this series. … Miami didn’t get its first win against the Texans until a 44-26 victory in 2015. … The Dolphins have won the past two meetings. … These teams first met in the season opener in 2003 when Houston got a 21-20 win on a late field goal.
Three of Miami’s final four games of the season are on the road. … K Jason Sanders needs 13 points Sunday to reach 800. He also needs one field goal to reach 177, which would give him the second-most field goals made in franchise history. … TE Jonnu Smith needs 100 yards receiving to reach 792 and set a franchise record for most yards receiving by a tight end in a single season. Smith had three catches for 44 yards, including the game-winning TD vs. the Jets last week after having no receptions during regulation. … Tagovailoa needs a completion rate of 70% or better on Sunday to reach eight consecutive games completing at least 70% of his passes. That would tie him with Joe Montana (1989) and Drew Brees (2017-18) for the longest streak in NFL history. … The Dolphins gave up a season-high 402 yards to the Jets last week. Aaron Rodgers burned Miami’s pass defense for 319 yards, and Miami’s secondary allowed a combined 223 yards by Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams. … Houston can clinch the AFC South title for the second straight year with a win and a loss by Indianapolis Sunday. … The Texans rank second in the NFL with 84 tackles for loss. … Their 42 sacks also rank second. … WR Nico Collins had eight receptions for 119 yards for his fourth 100-yard game this season in Houston’s previous game. He has had at least 75 yards receiving and a TD reception in each of his four home games this season. … TE Dalton Schultz had five receptions for 61 yards and a score in Week 13. He has had at least five catches in two of his past three games. … LB Azeez Al-Shaai will serve the first game of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of QB Trevor Lawrence Sunday. … DE Danielle Hunter is one of two players in the NFL this season with at least 15 tackles for loss (15) and 10 sacks (10 1/2). It’s his sixth career season with at least 10 sacks. He has eight tackles for loss and five sacks combined in his past three games. … DE Will Anderson has had a sack in his past two home games. … LB Henry To’oTo’o has had at least five tackles in four straight games. … CB Derek Stingley had his third interception of the season in his previous game. … CB Kamari Lassiter had a career-high eight tackles, including a tackle for loss in Week 13. … S Jimmie Ward has had an interception in his past two home games. He also had an interception in his previous game against Miami in 2022 while with San Francisco.
Collins has 456 yards receiving and four touchdown receptions in four home games this season.