The Houston Dynamo defeated the RGV FC Toros 2-1 Tuesday morning in a closed-door preseason scrimmage at Houston Sports Park.
RGV, Houston's USL Championship hybrid affiliate, created the first dangerous opportunity of the game in the ninth minute when forward James Murphy won the ball in midfield and played a long diagonal ball down the right flank to forward Aldo Quintanilla. Quintanilla collected and then slipped a pass to forward Maalique Foster behind the Dynamo back line. The Jamaican international was able to get a shot off, but Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis came off his line and quickly got to the ground to save the low, driven effort.
Foster was the first to find the net when he connected with a right-footed shot in the 30th minute. After getting the ball in the left corner of the Dynamo penalty area, Foster slipped but recovered and cut back onto his right foot before whipping a low right-footed shot past Willis and inside the far post.
Midfielder Tommy McNamara leveled the scrimmage three minutes into the second half after he drew a penalty kick. The midfielder’s penalty kick was saved by Willis but the rebound fell to McNamara who beat the goalkeeper with a shot at the far post.
Houston took the lead in the 88th minute off a corner kick that fell to forward Marlon Hairston outside the six yard box. Midfielder Memo Rodriguez’ initial corner kick feel to Kevin Garcia who found Hairston running into the box for his first goal of the preseason.
The Dynamo continually created dangerous chances along both flanks through forwards Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto during the first 45 minutes, but First Team goalkeeper Tyler Deric was quick off his line several times to cut out crosses and avert danger for the RGV defense.
Hairston was a constant threat in the second half and forced a save with a shot from the edge of the box in the 60th minute.
After the scrimmage, RGV FC held an additional 30-minute scrimmage between two sides comprised of RGV FC players, along with a handful of young players from the Dynamo First Team. The scrimmage ended in a 1-1 draw with goals from Heriberto Soto and a quick equalizer off a cross from Dynamo Academy forward Niccolo Lemoine.
Houston Dynamo vs. RGV FC Toros
Preseason Scrimmage – Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019
Houston Sports Park – Houston, TX
SCORING:
RGV: Maalique Foster 30 (unassisted)
HOU: Tommy McNamara 48 (unassisted)
HOU: Marlon Hairston (Kevin Garcia) 88
Houston Dynamo: Joe Willis (Tyler Deric 46); DaMarcus Beasley (Adam Lundkvist 46), Alejandro Fuenmayor (Sam Junqua 46), Kiki Struna (Kevin Garcia 46), Chris Duvall (Andrew Samuels 46); MatÃas Vera (Darwin Cerén 46), Juan David Cabezas (Boniek GarcÃa 46), Tomás MartÃnez (Memo Rodriguez 46); Romell Quioto (Tommy McNamara 46), Mauro Manotas (Andy Cabrera 46), Alberth Elis (Marlon Hairston 46)
RGV FC: Tyler Deric (Joe Willis 46); Sergio Mena (Robert Coronado 46), Robert Castellanos (Erik McCue 46), Conor Donovan (Kyle Adams 10), Sebastian Gonzalez (Zach Jackson 46); Jesus Enriquez (Anibal Cabrera 46), James Murphy (Brad Dunwell 46), Eric Bird (Victor Garza 46), Josue Espana (Brayan Orozco 46); Maalique Foster (Carlos Small 46), Aldo Quintanilla (Johnny Paredes 46)
RGV INTRA-SQUAD SCRIMMAGE
RGV FC Grey – 1 (Nico Lemloine)
RGV FC Green – 1 (Heriberto Soto)
RGV FC Grey: Michael Nelson; Robert Coronado, Conor Donavan, Robert Castellanos, Sergio Mena; Caro Anibal Cabrera, Romilio Hernandez, Brandon Morales (Jesse Ortiz), Josue Espana, Nico Lemloine, Johnny Paredes
RGV FC Green: Nico Corti; Carlos Viveros, Erik McCue, Zach Jackson, Sebastian Gonzalez (Cristian Coelho), Evan Waldrep, David Cabrera, Maalique Foster (Jaylen Anderson), Darrell Johnson, Victor Garza, Miguel Padron
