Fortress of Solitude: Dynamo 3:0 LA Galaxy

Can we all just take a second and enjoy being 3-0 at home?  Not just 3-0, but a dominating 3-0 at home.  The Houston Dynamo are one of two Western Conference teams who have won every game at home, and one of two teams in the entire league who have yet to concede a goal in their own stadium.  It's not always pretty, and it's not always the most fun to watch, but if you can't enjoy winning our first 3 at home against the teams we've won them against......I've got nothing for you.  Although it's early and it's been a small sample size, Benny Ball is currently working (at home).  The road is an entirely different story, but last night wasn't a road game.  Let's sit back, soak this one in, and enjoy a 3-0 win at home.

The first 45 minutes.

You could see the game plan right away: (1) Sit Back (2) Get the ball downfield quickly (3) Fight for the box.  On the opening kickoff, Hector Herrera lofted a 60-yard diagonal the Franco, and the Dynamo won a throw-in just outside the 18 only thirteen seconds into the game.  It was only seconds later on their second possession of the game when Amine Bassi scooped up an errant LA Galaxy pass and raced down the left flank.  Bassi found Coco wide open just outside the penalty circle, whose shot found the back of Corey Baird's legs.  Franco Escobar jumped in front of a Caligeri pass and fired a cross to Corey Baird, but it was intercepted.  The Dynamo press forced 4 errant passes, and each led to getting in dangerous positions in the final third in the first 4:10 of the game.  

Defensively, Arur was dropping down ontop of Jovelic, and with both Bassi and Franco dropping back to help gum up the wings, the Galaxy were overcommitting both Raheem Edwards and Caligeri forward trying to break down the Dynamo defense, which in turn was leaving gaping holes behind him for Baird to run into. As Baird's run caught the Galaxy defense's attention, the midfield opened up quickly as the back line of the Galaxy defense began to stretch. The Galaxy did find their way through a few times in the first 20 minutes of the game.

• Jovelic's first shot (6th minute) was blocked by Hadebe.
• Caligeri cut inside to hit a left footer from 25 yards out (14:26) that was also blocked by Hadebe.
• Memo found Jovelic in the box, which was broken up by a streaking Clark.  The ball landed back in Memo's lap (Penalty overturned by VAR).

But in the 35th minute, the Dynamo finally broke through.  It was an unbelievable shot by Hector Herrera, but the play that set it up was a microcosm of what the Dynamo were doing all night.

The strike was absolutely inch-perfect and was a no-doubt goal as Ivan Franco was also wide open and covering the back post.  It was not only completely misplayed by the Galaxy goalkeeper, but by their defense as well.  Hector had been putting in very dangerous corners the entire half, and decided just to go ahead and put this one away himself.  The strike seemed to wake the Galaxy up.  Memo was being super aggressive hear the middle of the pitch.  Puig and Delgado were penetrating the Dynamo back line and getting into the box.  The half ended when Gastón Brugman blasted a free kick into the Dynamo wall after Memo had won a free kick in a battle with Artur.  The first half was fairly even, and the Dynamo were somewhat fortunate to be up 1-0, but it was a fairly uneventful half compared to what was coming in the second.

The Galaxy came out aggressive.

Greg Vanney made several changes to both personnel and formation that really caused the Dynamo problems in the early goings of the second half.  Not only bringing on Preston Judd for Memo, but also bringing in Center Back Chris Mavinga for Tyler Boyd and switching from a 4-1-4-1 to a 3-5-2 formation. The attention that both  Judd and Jovelic were getting was opening up a lot of space behind them for Puig, Brugman, and Delgado. Puig had two very dangerous shots in the opening minutes, and Judd found a way in behind Hadebe to put a really good shot on Steve Clark (The Hadebe accidental back pass play).  When Chichirito came on (54:43) and LA. Galaxy dominating the run of play, all of the Dynamo Faithful had to be a little nervous.  But it's then that things actually began to turn in the Dynamo favor.  Ivan Franco got in behind and put a nice left-footed attempt on goal, the DYnamo defense adjusted and the midfield began to dominate meaningful possession.  When Coco got fouled in the box at the 65-minute mark, it began one of the zaniest 30 minutes of soccer I believe I've ever witnessed.

• The Galaxy picked up 3 yellows in just under 5 minutes.  The first was for Raheem Edwards for losing his temper for being subbed off. The second (Martín Cáceres) was one of the most bone-headed plays I've ever seen by a guy on a yellow and put the Galaxy a man down.  The third (Gastón Brugman) was for arguing the penalty and the card that his teammate got.
• Bassi scores his 4th PK in 4 games, setting a MLS record.

4 - @HoustonDynamo's Amine Bassi is the first player in MLS history to score a penalty in four consecutive matches. Poise. pic.twitter.com/x2FJwMtSmS

— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) April 9, 2023

• The Galaxy drop off and leave the Dynamo soo much space they can do virtually whatever they want with the ball.  This wasn't a team digging in their heels down a man, this was a team that was done. While the Dynamo were dominated in Possession (37%) in the first half, they turned the tables in the second.
• Bassi scores the second run-of-play goal for the Dynamo all year.  After a corner was lost, great pressure from HH, Thor, and Baird, HH disposes Chichirito and the Galaxy literally don't guard Baird at all.  Baird finds a wide open Bassi just at the edge of the box.  Bassi has time to take a good touch, test the wind, eat a Trill Burger, drink a shake, and blast it in the back of the net.
• Judd has a tremendous left-footed shot in the box, Bartlow heads it away.  
• Herrera gets his second yellow and picks up a red coming late across the back of Chichirito's legs.
• Raines bosses Douglas Costa, Costa gets mad about it and slams Rains down on the ground for no real reason.  If you want to know how this team is changing, watch Dorsey, Teenage, and Steres go after Costa and stick up for the teenager Raines.
• The ref, recognizing that tempers are flaring AND that this game had turned into a flaming pile of garbage, calls the game.

Tid Bits.

Ethan Bartlow: was really good. Bartlow got in the way of 4 shots, had a big break up of a pass to Preston Judd early in the second half, and was a huge reason why Jovelic and Chichirito couldn't get a clean look at the goal.  Teenage had one of his better games this year as well, but Bartlow was tremendous last night.

HH doing HH things: Forget the goal for just a second, he was far and away the best midfielder in the game.  He was just in total control the entire 90 and affected every phase of the game.  He's completely legitimized our set pieces, he's solid in defense, and he picks other teams apart with his passing.  The second yellow was a really poor decision, and the game against RBNY will be almost really tough without him.  

Corey Baird: His pressure caused LAG some real problems at time.  He was constantly marking away one of the CB's and causing LAG to play down their left side.  Was responsible for setting up 2 of the goals, and despite only having 1 shot and several really bad passes into the final third he really impacted this game on multiple levels. 

Franco Escobar: One of the forgotten offseason signings.  Escobar had some huge plays last night including the play that stopped Memo in the box. It was a perfectly timed and executed tackle that got the Dynamo the ball back and shut down a Galaxy attack.

Bringing the Nasty: I thought Dorsey, Baird, and Thor really ramped it up over the last 15 minutes of the game. The Dynamo also committed 10 fouls and picked up 5 yellows defending their clean sheet.

Next Up:

Final, Final Thoughts:

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Easter.  My thoughts go out to the sacrifice that was given, the love that covers us, and the victory we are blessed with.  

Thanks again for reading,

Remember to always #HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange.

Brian