Finally!

Can you enjoy a road win against a not-so-good Inter Miami team?  When it's been since August 25, 2020 (that 586 days by the way), you better believe it.  Can you believe that was Tab Ramos' first win as a coach.....that's how long it's been. You know, back when people were excited that Tab Ramos was our coach?  It was a 5-2 blasting of Sporting KC, and then we decided to sell Alberth Elis. When you are the Houston Dynamo, this is a game you should win.  Inter Miami is in Shambles, and despite having bigger names and flashier toys, they are a team that isn't very good.  Winning a game they should win hasn't always been the easiest thing to do.  While of course there are things to nit-pick at, there are also things we can celebrate. Let's roll up our sleeves and put in the work, and see what we can dig up.

Curiosities before the game:

One thing I'm really starting to like about Paulo Nagamura is the fact that he is completely unafraid to throw guys out there and rotate the squad.  Early on, it's somewhat working, and defensively the team has been pretty consistent.  There were a couple of surprises in the roster selection when it was released.  I was pretty shocked to see (1) Ethan Bartlow in the starting ll (2) Tim Parker and Daniel Steres not even in the 18.  Bartlow played pretty well in the inaugural DynamoDos game the week before.  He positioned himself well and flashed some of his deep passing skills that he was known for at Washington.  Ethan even joined the attack a few times late and hit a nice shot late in the game that was saved by the Vancouver 2 keeper.  It is great to me to see Bartlow in the starting 11 for the first team, but was a little curious not having Parker or Steres even in the team.  Ian Hoffman made the trip and was in the 18, and Memo got the start after Coco returned from International duty.

Miami came out with a fairly attack-minded 11.  Phil Neville's crew had only managed 2 goals entering the game, and the starting lineup of Ariel Lassiter and Robbie Robinson got two of his more dangerous wingers in the lineup.  17-year-old Noah Allen picked up his 3rd start of the season, and the always dangerous Gonzalo Higuain pointed the attack.  The game started over an hour late thanks to a lightning delay, but both the game opened up like it energized them.

The first 45 minutes:

The opening 15 minutes of play was full-bore back and forth action, and really exciting to watch.  Corey Baird opened the frenzy with a  right-footed blast off a nice 1-2 combo from Sebastian Ferriera and Darwin Quintero that was low and to Nick Marsman's right, but he managed to get down and punch the ball away.  :42 seconds into the game, and you could tell that both teams were going after it.  On the following corner, Quintero took a short one, made a move, and found Teenage Hadebe mid-box who hit a wild left-footer that was blocked.  It didn't take long for Inter Miami to answer back.  They immediately began firing test shots down the field, probing the Dynamo defense and keeping Steve Clark plenty busy.  Many of them were down the right side, as Inter seemed determined to take on Griffen Dorsey and Ethan Bartlow.  At the 4:00-mark, Robbie Robinson hit a beautiful 40 pass to Higuain on a dime, in behind Bartlow.  Bartlow just managed to recover, and with a little luck knocked it out for a corner.  Higuain bended a pretty corner into the box (which Fafa managed to head away), and Jean Mota fired one from about 25 yards out one time that went sailing over the goal. Immediately after, Hadebe scorched a perfectly weighted ball through all the lines to Fafa on a dead sprint.  Fafa's run was perfect and he was 1v1 with the keeper, but Marsman did a good job cutting off the angle to Fafa's right foot.  Marsman knocked it away, but it's a chance Fafa HAS to finish. Both teams were sitting mid-high blocks, and the action was extremely quick and fast-paced like a Bundesliga game. 

• 5:58 - after Sebas turns the ball over just outside the box, Miami builds up an attack down the left side (Dorsey's side). Allen overlaps, fires in a cross, Miami wins the second ball, and Lassiter fires a left-footer that Clark saves at the near post.
• 8:26 - Inter Miami building again, Robinson finds Mota just outside the 18.  Mota blasts a left-footed strike that is directly at Clark.
• 11:00 - Memo plays short corner to DQ, who taps it back to Memo.  Memo fires a perfect cross to Fafa directly in front of the goal, about 5 yards out.  Fafa gets a terrible head on it and it winds up in the stands.
• 18:31 - Lassiter makes a great run down the right side, collects a ball of a terrific back heal from Mota, and finds Taylor just outside the 18.  Taylor fires it wide right.
• 20:29 - after a terrible turnover by Sebas, Miami streaks down the right side. Robbie Robinson makes a terrific move, turning Bartlow around.  Bartlow drops but Teenage slides in and manages to block Robinson's shot for a corner.
• 21:31 - Mota fires a nice lofted ball to Robbie Robinson behind everyone.  The ball is about a foot too high and Houston wins a goal kick.
• 22:43 - Ethan Bartlow hits a bad leftie to Dorsey, Miami takes the ball deep in their own third.  Quintero accidentally deflects a ball directly to Robinson.  Robinson finds Lassiter who Lassiter's it nowhere close to the goal.
• 23:28 - Lundkvist hits a great ball 50 yards to Ferreira.  Ferreira is trying to fight off two Miami defenders who hold him off just as Marsen corrals the ball.
• 24:44 - Bartlow Fires one deep to Fafa, just a bit too far.  

And on and on and on it went.  Miami was in control of the game, Houston had the most dangerous chances, neither scored and we went into half-time 0-0.  Despite winning most of the cumulative stats (12 shots, 50.5% possession), they never really seemed all that dangerous.  Houston had cracked Miami WIDE open several times but failed to capitalize.  Miami was determined to try to attack down the wings, and I'm never nervous when Ariel Lassiter has the ball.....unless he's on my team.  

It didn't take long:

Immediately in the second half (or immediately after the ESPN+ feed came back on), Higuain had an opportunity behind the Houston defense, but was just offside.  Houston began to build, and finally, it happened. What started as nothing out of the usual, Houston was poking and prodding the Miami defense.  Slow build, look for gaps, and finally Memo found one.  

He laced a terrific pass, splitting two defenders to a wide-open Griffen Dorsey. Dorsey faked inside, cut back outside, and created an angle that gave him the sideline.  Sebas went near post, with Darwin running middle and Fafa covering the back post.

The ball took a slight deflection off of Noah Allen's ankle, which gave it a little extra loft and changed the trajectory enough to throw off both the goalkeeper and his cover. Sebas run pulled the defenders apart, leaving DQ with a clear path to the ball.

DQ beat Yedlin to the ball, and got just enough head on it to beat Marsen and put the Dynamo up 1:0

15 minutes later, DQ helped make it 2:0 on a horrendous play by Marsen after Bartlow lofted one into the 18.  Marsman charged, mistimed his jump, and while reaching up with his right hand to catch it actually laid it in the lap of Quintero.  Marsman had no choice but to tackle Quintero like a defensive end, handing Quintero a penalty.  I was actually surprised that Fafa took it instead of Sebas, but Fafa was money last year.  I thought with Sebas being what Sebas is, the team would hand him the penalty to try to get him on track.  However, Fafa stepped up and hit a laser past Marsman's right and increase the lead to two.  Marsman had guessed correctly but just couldn't get to it. Two minutes later, Steve Clark repaid the favor just trying to make a play. Jean Mota fireballed one into a crowd that pinballed around and ended up behind the defense.  Clark was trying to get to it, but Robert Taylor beat him to the ball.  Clark was in a terrible position and dove for the ball, but Taylor tried to cut back outside and Clark cut out Taylor's legs with his shoulder.  It was a clear pen, but there was nothing malicious about what Clark did.  Higuain lined up to take it, and as he approached Steve Clark seemed to be faking left and set-up right.  It looked like he slipped as he went to his knees right before Gonzalo hit it, but never the less Miami had cut it to 1.  Miami really cranked up the pressure and was throwing people forward, but Houston was had dropped Coco (70th minute sub for Memo) and Vera deeper in their own half, constantly outnumbering any chances Miami had.  

Pasher (75th Minute), Thor (75th Minute), and Coco (70th minute) had come on and brought some fresh legs.  Junqua and Ceren came on in the 84th minute for Baird and Vera, bringing on some fresh defensive legs.  When the 4th official held up 6 minutes of added time, I almost threw something at the television.  There was a strong feeling we were bringing home 3 points on the road for the first time since we've changed Presidents, and the 6 minutes game me an uneasy feeling.  But that's when Fafa exploded. After a terrific tackle by Coco in the box, the ball squirted through for a throw-in.  Coco went down, holding his leg, and you could see that Miami was visibly frustrated by him going down.  Coco got up, received the throw-in, and turned and fired to Tyler Pasher right in the mid-field circle. 

Pasher charged hard right at Noah Allan who was defending the entire right side of the Dynamo attack by himself.  When he hit the pass, Fafa wasn't even in the screen and I jumped off my couch.

Fafa came racing out of nowhere off-screen.  It was a really nice pass from Pasher with good touch on it.  It laid up right in front of Fafa who was now all alone.

Fafa took one really nice touch and bent one just passed Marsman's leg. 3:1 Good Guys.

It felt great to get the win.  The Dynamo now sit at 2-1-2 on the year (8 points).  

Next up: Saturday 4/9 vs San Jose @ 7:30 PM - PNC Stadium

San Jose is last in the Western Conference, with 2 points through 5 games.  San Jose ranks last in the Western Conference (24th in MLS) in Goals against/90 (2.2).  They rank 13th in Goals/90 (tied with the Dynamo @1.2). San Jose also ranks #1 in MLS in Possession % (62%)

See you all on Saturday.

Remember to #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange

Brian