Tag: houston dynamo

San Jose Earthquakes goaltender William Yarbrough (25) makes a save against the Houston Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston on Sat Mar 30, 2024 (photo by the San Jose Earthquakes X account)

By William Espy

The San Jose Earthquakes visited the Houston Dynamo as they looked to build momentum following their first win of the season against the Seattle Sounders. Luchi Gonzalez’s squad rolled out in a 4-3-3 formation, while Dynamo manager Ben Olsen was using a 4-2-3-1. The Dynamo got two key goals that allowed them to get by the Quakes 2-1 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.

The Earthquakes got off to a hot start with a first-minute goal, off of a corner Cristian Espinoza crossed it to Bruno Wilson who headed it into the back of the net. It marked Espinoza’s third straight game with a goal contribution, after struggling for offense in the first three games of the new season.

The Quakes have needed him to find his game, and based on the past few weeks it seems he’s been able to do so. For Wilson, it was his first goal in the MLS. The 27-year-old defender had spent the past few seasons with FC Vizela in his native Portugal before moving across the pond this season.

Shortly after the goal, Preston Judd got some attention from the referees following a foul, which would be much more important later in the night, but we’ll get to that. The game had some intensity immediately following the opening goal, Houston desperately tried to find an equalizer while San Jose attempted to extend their lead to two.

Veteran goalkeeper William Yarbrough got tested a few times early, specifically in the 15th minute. Yarbrough is filling in for the injured Daniel who is expected to be out for a significant period of time due to a recent surgery.

The 35-year-old Mexican-born American national was acquired during the winter from the Colorado Rapids, where he had spent the last four seasons. With Daniel out for the foreseeable future, the Earthquakes need consistent strong performances from Yarbrough, which they certainly got tonight.

It was a fairly even game for the first 30 minutes, but the momentum was definitely trending in the Dynamo’s favor. Judd’s name continued to come up, as he was fouling players pretty regularly and eventually it culminated in a red card in the 34th minute.

On a throw in, Judd appeared to elbow Erik Sviatchenko and after the referee took a look at the replay, Judd was thrown out of the game for violent conduct. As a result, the Earthquakes not only had to play with ten men for the rest of the night, but Judd will also be suspended for at least one game automatically, possibly more given the nature of the incident.

His poor discipline ended up being a major turning point in the game, as from that point forward Houston was in control of the game. In the 40th minute, Gonzalez made some adjustments to make up for the fact that they were down a man and he substituted Tanner Beason in for Niko Tsakiris as he looked for a more defensive approach moving forward.

In the 44th minute, the goalscorer Wilson went down in some difficulty in front of San Jose’s goal following an awkward collision but remained in the game. Coco Carrasquilla got called for Houston’s first yellow card of the night, as he collided with Beason in stoppage time.

The Earthquakes would be able to survive with their lead into halftime, but possession and scoring chances were heavily in Dynamo’s favor. On the scoreboard though, it was still 1-0 with the Earthquakes ahead.

Gonzalez made a couple more substitutions to start the second half, Carlos Gruezo came in for Alfredo Morales and Carlos Akapo took Paul Marie’s spot. The next 45 minutes were clearly going to be dominated by the Dynamo, but it was all about survival for the Earthquakes.

If they could handle the pressure and keep the ball out of the net, they’d walk away with three points. If not, things could quickly fall apart. In the 55th minute, Vitor Costa went down with an apparent ankle injury and was replaced by Jamar Ricketts who was making his MLS debut. Ricketts was the 13th overall pick in the 2024 MLS Superdraft out of California State University, Northridge.

Desperation was clearly setting in for Houston around the 65th minute, and they started going with an even more attacking mindset. Benjamin Kikanovic went down with an apparent head injury around the 70th minute, and he left the game for a while, leaving the Earthquakes with only nine players temporarily.

He returned to the game for a few minutes before eventually being substituted out in favor of Jeremy Ebobisse in the 78th minute. Around the same time Akapo received a yellow card for poor sportsmanship. After a lengthy attack, the Dynamo scored an equalizer when Sebastian Ferreira was able to beat Yarbrough with a shot that deflected off of a defender in front.

It wouldn’t take long for Houston to take the lead after that, as in the 85th minute Franco Escobar made it 2-1 off of a rebound. The Earthquakes played well despite the result, they made the best of a bad situation and if they weren’t down a man for a majority of the game, they likely could’ve walked away with three points.

Instead, their terrible start to the season continues. In stoppage time, San Jose would get a second red card, as Jackson Yueill picked up a second yellow card, his first coming in the 87th minute, leaving them with nine players for the remainder of the match. When all was said and done, the Dynamo walked away with a 2-1 win.

The San Jose Earthquakes couldn’t hold the lead against the Houston Dynamo at Pay Pal Park in San Jose in MLS action on Sun Jul 17, 2022 (@SJEarthquakes photo)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE — In a battle of playoff hopefuls, the Houston Dynamo scored two goals in the second half to complete a 2-1 comeback victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday evening at Pay Pal Park.

San Jose had its three-match unbeaten streak snapped. Houston, with the win, have points in two of its last three matches.

Possession was even in the first half as both teams weren’t able to generate many scoring chances.

San Jose (5-8-7-22 points) had two shots on target in the opening 45 minutes. In the 13th minute, Benji Kikanovic set up Cristian Espinoza for a shot, but his attempt was grabbed by Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark.

Then late in the half in the 41st minute, Clark came up big when he knocked a rocket of a shot by Paul Marie from 20 yards out over the net for a corner kick.

Houston (7-10-4-25 points) did not generate a shot on target against Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski in the first half.

San Jose drew first blood in the 53rd minute. Off a set piece, Tommy Thompson’s header hit off the top of the crossbar and ‘Quakes captain Jackson Yueill cleaned up the rebound with a right footed shot past Clark for his fourth goal of the season.

Houston took advantage of Marie’s turnover inside San Jose’s zone in the 71st minute. Fafà Picault picked the ball from Marie, then centered a pass over to Sebastián Ferreira who kicked in a right-footed shot for his co-team leading seventh goal of the season.

“I think the mistake [on the first goal] was an individual mistake, and on the second goal we had to keep the ball out when there wasn’t a clear moment to build up, and that’s it. I don’t think it was because we were building up in the back that Houston had those opportunities. I think we committed individual mistakes and that’s why it’s a very simple analysis today,” interim head coach Alex Covelo said.

The save of the match belonged to fullback Tim Parker. In the 73rd minute, the Earthquakes thought they had regained the lead just over two minutes later when Jeremy Ebossise had the ball inside the box staring at an empty net. Ebobisse’s attempt was blocked away by Parker with a sliding save right along the goal line.

The Dynamo gained their first lead of the match in the 76th minute after the ‘Quakes failed to clear the ball out of their own zone. Darwin Quintero found Thorleifur Úlfarsson in the center of the box and he beat Marcinkowski with a left-footed shot to the far corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

San Jose had one final chance to score the equalizer on the match’s final play off of a corner kick. However, Nathan’s header attempt sailed wide left of the net.

“I just forget this game,” said Jamiro Monteiro. “It already happened. We lost. Now we’re onto next week. We still have 14 games. Tomorrow is a new day. We have a new week, new chances. Every week is a new chance for us.”

Clark finished the match with four saves on five shots to earn the victory. Marcinkowski made two saves on four shots in the losing effort.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished the match with eight corner kicks. Houston had seven.

The ‘Quakes were without fullback Marcos Lopez who was suspended for the match due to yellow card accumulation.

San Jose is 9-16-4 all time against Houston.

San Jose had its four-home match (W2 D2) unbeaten streak against Houston that dated back to 2017. Their four-match run was San Jose’s longest home unbeaten run against the Dynamo in MLS play.

The Dynamo snapped its four-game losing streak on the road. They are 4-14 from home dating back to last August.

After his right-footed goal in San Jose’s 3-2 win over the Galaxy on Wednesday, Ebobisse has now scored 10 goals with his right foot in MLS. Since 2019, Ebobisse is the only MLS player with double-digit goals with each of his right foot, his left foot and his head.

UP NEXT: San Jose hosts a friendly against Spanish La Liga team RC Celta De Vigo on Wednesday 7/20 at Pay Pal Park at 7:15pm. They return to MLS action against the Portland Timbers on Saturday 7/23 at 7:30pm at Providence Park.

The San Jose Earthquakes just couldn’t catch up to tie the game against the Houston Dynamo. The Dynamo squeezed by with good defense keeping the Quakes out of the zone for a one goal win at PNC Stadium in Houston in MLS action on Sat Apr 9, 2022 (photo by the San Jose Earthquakes)

by Marko Ukalovic

The Houston Dynamo scored two goals in the second half and then hung on for dear life to preserve a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at PNC Stadium.

San Jose remain winless in their first six matches to start the season. Houston have won two matches in a row and have points in four consecutive matches.

Houston (3-1-2) drew first blood in the eighth minute off a set piece. Adam Lundqvist’s corner kick found its way on to the foot of Sebastián Ferreira and he buried a one-timer past Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski for the first of his two goals on the night.

San Jose (0-4-2) answered back in the 25th minute with the first of Jeremy Ebobisse’s two goals in the first half. Cade Cowell centered a pass in the box and Ebobisse slammed home a one-timer top shelf for his second goal of the season.

Three minutes later Ebobisse struck again for the Quakes. Jan Gregus crossed the ball into the box where an unmarked Ebobisse headed the ball into the lower left corner for his second goal and third of the season in the 28th minute.

“I think it’s tough to get too high on scoring in a defeat because ultimately it’s a defeat. It doesn’t advance the team’s goals. If the team’s goals aren’t advancing, then my individual goals aren’t either,” Ebobisse said.

Houston scored the equalizer just before halftime. Marcinkowski aggressively came out to stop Tyler Pasher’s one-on-one attempt, but Darwin Quintero cleaned up the rebound into an empty net for his team leading fourth goal of the season in the 43rd minute.

The Dynamo used the momentum of Quintero’s goal and seized the momentum in the second half with two unanswered goals 11 minutes apart.

Teenage Hadebe scored off a corner kick from Pasher with a left footed shot that beat Marcinkowski for his first goal of the season in the 57th minute.

Then in the 68th minute, Fafà Picault danced around a couple of Quakes defenders inside the box before finding Ferreira along the left side and the Paraguayan striker’s shot deflected off of Marcinkowski for his second goal of the match and of the season.

Tommy Thompson brought the Quakes back into the match in the 77th minute off a set piece. Thompson’s high volley off a corner kick beat Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark to the far side for his first goal of the season.

“It’s a difficult loss. Any time you concede four goals, you’re not going to be happy about it. It’s been a difficult start to the season. There’s no hiding from that. This is not how we planned it. It’s just something that we’re going to have to correct,” said Thompson.

San Jose had a chance to score the equalizer in the 85th minute but Clark robbed Ebobisse’s bid for a hat trick when he made a save on Ebobisse’s header that was headed for the far corner.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with two corner kicks. Houston had three.

The Quakes have a 9-15-4 overall record against Houston Dynamo FC.

Ebobisse’s two goals were also his 29th and 30th goals of his MLS career. He has now scored three goals in the last two matches. His brace marks the third of his MLS career and first since Oct. 7, 2020 (vs. LA).

Thompson also made his 163rd appearance for the Quakes, tying Richard Mulrooney for sixth most appearances in club history.

UP NEXT: San Jose returns home to host Nashville SC on Saturday 4/16 at 12:30pm at Pay Pal Park.

The San Jose Earthquakes and the Houston Dynamo played to a 1-1 draw in one of the more thrilling games this season at Pay Pal Park in San Jose Sat Jul 24, 2021’s game was the only home game the Quakes would play in the month of July (USA Today photo)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE—The soccer gods have had no love for the San Jose Earthquakes.

A controversial offsides call negated what would have been the winning goal for the San Jose Earthquakes in the third minute of stoppage time in the second half. Instead the Quakes had to settle for a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday evening at Pay Pal Park.

Carlos Fierro sent in a free kick into the middle of the box where Andy Rios had tapped it into the far right corner of the net. As the team celebrated what they thought was the go ahead goal, the assistant referee on the right sideline ruled the play was offsides.

San Jose has drawn a point in four consecutive matches but extended its season long winless steak to 11 games. Houston is 0-2-2. in its past four matches.

Houston (3-4-8) drew first blood late in the first half. A free kick from the left side was headed back toward the middle of the pitch by Oswaldo Alanís. Matías Vera collected the ball and fired a low liner of a shot that beat Quakes goalie JT Marcinkowski just inside the right corner for his first goal of the season in the 40th minute.

San Jose (3-7-5) answered back in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Shea Salinas won a free kick along the left endline. Cristian Espinoza serviced the ball into the middle of box where Zarek Valentin accidentally kicked into his own net for an own goal.

The action pack first half saw the Quakes saw San Jose dominate in possession with a 70%-30% margin.

Marcinkowski had a busy opening 45 minutes as he made four saves, two of those were diving stops.

In the second half, both teams came out aggressive as the physical play resulted in tempers flaring with several skirmishes resulting after hard fouls by both sides.

San Jose had a chance to gain the lead in the 87th minute, when they drilled in a low cross that would’ve been a tap in, but Dynamo goalkeeper Marko Marić footed away the ball which swept the ball away from danger.

Maxi Urruti made a bad tackle on Fierro with a minute left in stoppage time resulting in yellow card issued. Fierro frustrated by the foul, retaliated against Urruti with a kick and swing, that resulted in a red card and automatic ejection from the match.

Fierro will be suspended for the next match against the Seattle Sounders.

Marić finished the match with two saves. Marcinkowski made fives saves on six shots.

GAME NOTES: San Jose finished with three corner kicks. Houston had five.

The Dynamo beat San Jose, 2-1, in Houston in the season opening match in April. The Dynamo have won six of its last ten against the Earthquakes but have managed just one win in their last six trips to San Jose (D1 L3).

Houston has won four of its last 28 MLS matches (D12 L12) with all four wins coming at home. Houston is winless in 16 straight on the road (D7 L9), the second-longest away winless run in club history (20 straight from July 2015 to August 2016).

Chris Wondolowski has scored just two times in 19 career appearances against the Dynamo. His 0.13 goals per 90 minutes against Houston is the lowest against any team he’s played 100 or more minutes against in his MLS career.

UP NEXT: San Jose heads back out on the road as the travel to Seattle to take on the Sounders on Saturday 7/31 at 2:00pm at Lumen Field.