News that kicked off 2020
Soccer Report: Dynamo sign Academy prodigy, Dash trade Ohai, Ronaldo scores hat-trick
Jan 7, 2020, 6:52 am
Credit: Houston Dynamo
"The Beautiful Game" never sleeps and that was the case to kick off the new year. The Premier League took the spotlight with New Year's Day action followed by the return of La Liga and Serie A from the holiday break.
Domestically, transfer news continue to dominate the radar in Major League Soccer and the National Women's Soccer League. The 2020 MLS SuperDraft (college draft) will take place on Thursday.
Here are the top stories of the weekend:
Houston Dynamo sign Homegrown Marcelo Palomino
Reported first by Glenn Davis, the Dynamo made the signing of Academy product Marcelo Palomino official on Monday. The midfielder joined the club's youth system as an 11-year-old in 2012 and was part of the U.S. Youth National Team pool from Under-14 to Under-19, crossing paths with current Dynamo Head Coach Tab Ramos.
The three-time Dynamo Academy Player of the Year left the club over a year ago, despite having a contract offer from the Dynamo, and went on to trials in Portugal and Germany. Most recently, he was playing in Houston with the USL2 side Albion Hurricanes FC who are coached by former MLS midfielder Josh Gardner.
Signing Palomino is a win for a club that has a reputation of not producing enough professional players in a city fervent with a soccer culture. It would appear, at least on the surface, that the hiring of Ramos was the ultimate convincing factor for the player to put pen to paper.
Liga MX GK William Yarbrough no longer a target for Dynamo
@samstejskal @PaulTenorio Marko Marić is @HoustonDynamo’s starting GK for 2020. Yarbrough is no longer a target.… https://t.co/VIPKUvZPVL— Lester Grötsch🇨🇭🇩🇪🇨🇷 (@Lester Grötsch🇨🇭🇩🇪🇨🇷) 1578086479.0
The Dynamo are no longer interested in acquiring two-time Liga MX champion and former U.S. Men's National Team goalkeeper William Yarbrough, as reported by KXLN's Lester Gretsch. After failing to agree on a transfer fee for the Mexican-born keeper, the Dynamo went on to sign the Austrian-Croatian Marko Maric. The Dynamo will reportedly sign a goalkeeper in the coming weeks, according to The Athletic.
Houston Dash trade Kealia Ohai to Chicago Red Stars for defender Katie Naughton
Kealia Ohai will depart after six seasons with the Houston Dash, reportedly requesting a trade. Ohai was the club's first ever draft pick and went on to score 28 goals in 114 appearances.
"My goal is to become the very best player I could possibly be and I feel like, in order for that to happen, I need a new environment," said Ohai via her social media accounts.
Chicago Red Stars made the NWSL Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season and finished 2019 as the runners-up. The Houston Dash have never made the playoffs in their six seasons.
Dash re-sign goalscorer, FIFA Women's World Cup participant Rachel Daly
Confirmed by @HoustonDash Manager James Clarkson: 🏴 @RachelDaly3 has re-signed with the club for the 2020… https://t.co/Zw1GbPIzAj— #SoccerMatters (@#SoccerMatters) 1578012965.0
Some good news for Dash fans is the re-signing of FIFA Women's World Cup veteran Rachel Daly. Since arriving in 2016, Daly has scored 24 goals in 80 matches. The Englishwoman represented her home country at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the Lionesses finished as semifinalists.
The news was announced by Head Coach James Clarkson last Thursday during a fan event hosted by Keeper Notes at Pitch 25. An official announcement from the club is imminent.
Premier League
The congested scheduling continues in the Premier League as teams opened 2020 with New Year's Day action. While the league took a break over the weekend, English clubs took were active in FA Cup action.
Top six: 1. Liverpool (58), 2. Leicester City (45), 3. Man City (44), 4. Chelsea (36), 5. Man Utd (31), 6. Tottenham (30)
Bottom three (relegation): 18. Bournemouth (20), 19. Watford (19), 20. Norwich City (14)
Scoring leader: 17 - Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
Assists leader: 12 - Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
La Liga
FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are once again tied at the top after RCD Espanyol took a 2-2 result in the Barcelona derby.
Top six: 1. FC Barcelona (40), 2. Real Madrid (40), 3. Atletico Madrid (35), 4. Sevilla (35), 5. Real Sociedad (31), 6. Valencia (31)
Bottom three: 18. Mallorca (15), 19. Leganes (14), 20. Espanyol (11)
Scoring leader: 13 - Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
Assists leader: 7 - Luis Suarez (FC Barcelona)
Italian Serie A
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to lead defending champions Juventus to a 4-0 win against Cagliari. Inter Milan, who picked up a 3-1 win at Napoli, remain at the top of the standings due to goal difference.
Top six: 1. Inter Milan (45), 2. Juventus (45), 3. Lazio (39), 4. Roma (35), 5. Atalanta (34), 6. Cagliari (29)
Bottom three: 18. Brescia (14), 19. Genoa (14), 20. SPAL (12)
Scoring leader: 19 - Ciro Immobile (Lazio)
Assists leader: 11 - Luis Alberto (Lazio)Zlatan debuts in A.C. Milan return
🗣 Here's what Zlatan had to say on the #MilanSampdoria draw Watch more of his interview on our App:… https://t.co/9khkOdVKWk— AC Milan (@AC Milan) 1578335350.0
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was back on the pitch for the first time since his final appearance with LA Galaxy in Houston last October. The Swede came on as a substitute but could not help Milan to a win in his debut. Milan and Sampdoria played to a scoreless draw at the San Siro.
2006 FIFA World Cup Winner Daniele De Rossi retires
🗣 Daniele De Rossi: “I played for two clubs that I love. "One was always the love of my life [Roma], the other en… https://t.co/GounSqOzUW— Goal (@Goal) 1578355037.0
Roma Legend De Rossi has called time on his career after a short stint in Argentina with Boca Juniors. The Italian midfielder hangs up his boots at the age of 36 with a decorated career that includes winning the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
2010 FIFA World Cup Winner David Villa retires
David Villa played his final game as a professional footballer today. He signed off with another trophy 🏆 https://t.co/iHyYXiPB56— ESPN FC (@ESPN FC) 1577907016.0
Spanish Legend David Villa, arguably the greatest striker produced by his country, also played has called time on his career. El Guaje left in style by picking up his 15th professional trophy after winning the Emperor's Cup with Japan's Vissel Kobe. Villa won the FIFA World Cup and EURO 2008 with Spain. At the club level, he won three La Liga titles, three Copa Del Rey titles and one UEFA Champions League.
Throwback moment: Dynamo Head Coach Tab Ramos reflects on being first MLS signing
January 3rd marked 25 years since Houston Dynamo Manager Tab Ramos became the first ever signing in Major League Soccer history. Attached is a clip of his thoughts on the matter, the full interview with Glenn Davis can be seen here.
Ratings bit: Liga MX final draws top spot
Top most-watched soccer games on U.S. TV for December 16th-29th. Via @worldsoccertalk https://t.co/qExxGMowvB… https://t.co/12tJAuhwXL— Cesar Hernandez (@Cesar Hernandez) 1578287713.0
TV listings (All Times CT):
For full info on soccer TV listings and streaming services in the United States, visit worldsoccertalk.com
Tuesday, January 7
2:00 p.m. - [English League Cup] Manchester United vs. Manchester City (ESPN+)
Wednesday, January 8
1:00 p.m. - [Spanish Supercopa] Real Madrid vs. Valencia (ESPN Deportes)
2:00 p.m. - [English League Cup] Leicester City vs. Aston Villa (ESPN+)
2:00 p.m. - [Coupe de la Ligue] PSG vs. St-Etienne (beINSports)
Thursday, January 9
11:00 a.m. - 2020 MLS SuperDraft (Twitter)
1:00 p.m. - [Spanish Supercopa] FC Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid (ESPN Deportes)
2:00 p.m. - [Coppa Italia] Torino vs. Genoa (ESPN+)
Friday, January 10
1:45 p.m. - [Ligue 1] Rennes vs. Marseille (beIN Sports)
2:00 p.m. - [Premier League] Sheffield United vs. West Ham (NBC Sports)
9:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Monarcas Morelia vs. Toluca (TUDN)
9:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Tijuana vs. Santos Laguna (FOX Deportes)
Saturday, January 11
6:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal (NBC Sports)
8:00 a.m. - [Serie A] Cagliari vs. AC Milan (ESPN+)
9:00 a.m. - [Premier League] Chelsea vs. Burnley (NBC Sports)
11:00 a.m. - [Serie A] Lazio vs. Napoli (ESPN+)
11:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Tottenham vs. Liverpool (NBC)
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] Inter Milan vs. Atalanta (ESPN+)
5:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Cruz Azul vs. Atlas (TUDN)
7:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Guadalajara vs. FC Juarez (TUDN)
Sunday, January 12
8:00 a.m. - [Premier League] Bournemouth vs. Watford (NBC Sports)
10:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Aston Villa vs. Man City (NBC Sports)
11:30 a.m. - [Spanish Supercopa] Real Madrid vs. Valencia vs. FC Barcelona/Atletico Madrid (ESPN Deportes)
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] Roma vs. Juventus (ESPN+)
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
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