Houston Dynamo 2 improved to 4-0-0 on their MLS NEXT Pro season with a 4-1 victory over Portland Timbers 2 tonight at PNC Stadium.
Forward Papa N’Doye led the scoring outburst with a goal and two assists, while midfielder D’Alessandro Herrera scored his first goal for Dynamo 2 in the win. Midfielder Marcelo Palomino scored his second of the year while forward Beto Avila bagged his fourth goal in the last eight days.
Dynamo 2 opened up the scoring in the 28th minute when N’Doye found Palomino with a short pass inside the penalty area. Palomino made two Timbers 2 defenders miss and created enough open space to fire a shot past the goalkeeper to give Dynamo 2 a 1-0 lead.
Houston doubled its lead in the 43rd minute, and this time N’Doye was the one to find the back of the net. Midfielder Brooklyn Raines received the ball in the midfield and found a streaking N’Doye in behind the defense with a through pass. N’Doye blasted the ball into the back of the net for the second goal of the season.
Timbers 2 cut the Dynamo 2 lead in half with a penalty after defender Sterling Penniston-John brought down Selmir Miscic inside the box. Blake Bodily scored the converted the penalty for Timbers 2 in the 53rd minute. This was the first goal Dynamo 2 have conceded in 323 minutes of play this season.
Avila, who was subbed on to start the second half, continued his scoring ways from last week. After last week’s hat trick, Avila received a pass from midfielder Juan Castilla at the top of the box and made a quick turn before unleashing a shot in the 59th minute for Avila’s fourth goal of the season.
Herrera made it 4-1 in the 88th minute when he buried a first-touch shot into the upper corner from 12 yards out. N’Doye played the creator role again, drawing two defenders toward himself before laying off to Herrera.
Dynamo 2 is in for another doubleheader next weekend when the team travels North to take on North Texas SC from Toyota Stadium at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, following the conclusion of the first installment of the 2022 Texas Derby.
