HOUSTON (April 20, 2026) – Houston Dynamo 2 goalkeeper Pedro Cruz was named the MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 7, the league announced today.
Dynamo 2 extended their unbeaten streak to six matches on Sunday after earning a 1-0 shutout road victoryversus Real Monarchs at Zions Bank Stadium behind forward Jahmani “JJ” Bell’s second goal of the season.
The result marked Houston’s fifth clean sheet this season, with Cruz contributing seven saves to the shutout, including a crucial double save in the 37th minute, denying a shot with his feet before reacting quickly again to tip a long-range shot effort over the crossbar. Notably, the 22-year-old Brazilian leads the league with four cleans sheets.
Houston broke the scoreless tie in the 73rd minute when midfielder Samir Mohammad beat a Real Monarchs defender to his left and dribbled into the box before finding Bell in the middle, who finished into the upper right corner. The play marked Mohammad’s first professional assist.
Dos currently sits second in the Western Conference with 17 points and 5-0-1 (WLD) record. They remain the only team in the league to have conceded just one goal (a penalty) in 2026 and none from open play. Dynamo 2 also leads the league in shutouts (five) and ranks third in goals scored (15). The team has totaled 26 goal contributions since the start of the season, with 12 different players already finding the back of the net.
Notably, Cruz earned **MLS NEXT Pro Goalkeeper of the Month** honors for March, finishing with three clean sheets, eight saves and a perfect 100% save percentage.
Houston next travels to face Sporting Kansas City II on Sunday, April 26, at Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the action live via MLSNEXTPro.com and OneFootball.
