Even in a friendly, the Houston Dynamo stuck to what they have done best this season: be hard to play against and stifle the opposing team with stalwart defense.
Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Chivas de Guadalajara at BBVA Compass Stadium was evidence of that.
Houston were outshot 11 to 7 and conceded more of the possession to Chivas, but the Mexican giants couldn’t break through the Dynamo defense.
Houston nearly broke the game open in the 65th minute when Dynamo debutante José Escalante laid off the ball for Chaco Maidana, but the Argentine midfielder rocketed his shot over the bar.
Chivas would come close minutes later when Jair Pereira connected on a corner kick in the 67th minute, but the defender’s header sailed over the bar.
The Mexican side would come close again in the 84th and 89th minute, but Dynamo keeper Calle Brown – who, like Escalante and two others in orange, was making his Dynamo debut – stood tall. In the 84th minute, Jose Juan Vazquez shot a rocket aimed for goal, but Brown pushed it over the bar. Five minutes later, Brown deflected a free kick which proved to be the final play of the game.
The draw might not have appeased the 14,872 in attendance, many of them Chivas faithful. But for the Dynamo, it was a useful exercise.
“Anytime you get to step away from league play, I think it’s refreshing for the group,” said interim head coach Wade Barrett. “This was a good team, so it was a good test for us. It’s just fun to play against a different opponent that maybe plays a little different style.”
Another positive for the Dynamo, Barrett noted, was getting minutes for on-loan players Escalante, Yair Arboleda and Keyner Brown. The three players have loan deals that expires at the end of the year with the Dynamo holding options to buy.
“I wanted to see those guys play in a meaningful game. And I know this was a friendly match, but it’s against a good opponent so I learned a lot from the game,” said Barrett. “The guys were pleased to get in and get minutes, so that was a great step.”
Another great step for the Dynamo: getting DaMarcus Beasley back on the field. The veteran Designated Player played the last 20 minutes after missing two months of action due to injury.
With the friendly out of the way, the Dynamo now shift their attention back to MLS play. Houston will visit Sporting KC on Friday night (7 pm CT; UniMás).
