HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo entered Saturday’s match against in-state rivals FC Dallas looking to avoid the pitfalls that befell the last two U.S. Open Cup winners.
In 2022, Orlando City followed up their first U.S. Open Cup championship by getting thrashed 5-1 by the Philadelphia Union in their next game. In 2019, it was Atlanta United’s turn to face the U.S. Open Cup hangover, but it too found it difficult to overcome, falling to the Union 3-1.
It could have been an easy trap for the Bayou City club to fall in. The reasons, or excuses, to let up entering Saturday’s Texas Derby were there.
Based on social media posts from players and media, the post-game celebrations were party vibes, with dancing, singing, and beer showers galore. The festivities are understandable. It’s Houston’s first trophy since the 2018 U.S. Open Cup, and the statement win was a stage for getting the Dynamo back on the map.
The high from the U.S. Open Cup Championship win could have taken the wind out of the sails of facing its next opponent, FC Dallas.
“You see it all the time,” said Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen.
“Our message for the players over the last couple of days. What type of team do we want to be, a team that can win and enjoy ourselves afterward on the plane ride and still show up and be pros and go after this? Yeah, let’s be that type of team.”
Three points for the taking
Houston did get after it Saturday, but FC Dallas, who has only conceded 34 goals this season, was up to the task of keeping the Dynamo at bay. The Texas Derby ended nil-nil and saw Houston split the points with FC Dallas, but the opportunity for all three points was there for the taking.
“It keeps moving us forward,” said Olsen.
“We may drop a place or two right now. This was always going to be a tough match. They’re a good team. They’re hot. They’ve been on a roll. I’m not too much of a stats guy. If you look down at those stats, after Wednesday night and the emotion of it all, is pretty good. We just didn’t reward ourselves with the goal.”
Houston outshot FC Dallas 17 to four, with five being on target and 63 percent of the possession, yet the winning goal eluded them.
While the defense proved stable and worthy, tt was a missed opportunity for all three points.
“We are happy with the clean sheet, but it was not the results we wanted,” said Teenage Hadebe. “That’s how it goes when you play El Clásico. It was a good measure against a tough opponent. We will take the point and move on.”
Houston maintains a slim lead 4th in the Western Conference Standings. A top-four finish would guarantee a home game for La Naranja in the MLS playoffs. Houston isn’t in yet, Olsen acknowledged Saturday night, and that’s where his mind is.
“When it all shakes out, we’ll see what it looks like,” said Olsen. “If we’re playing at home, great. If we’re away, great. Or the play-in game. The only one we don’t want is we’re out. As of now, it’s still up for grabs.”
Jesus Acevedo Jr. is the Editor-in-Chief of The Bayoucitian. He’s an award-winning bilingual journalist from Houston, TX. A graduate of the University of Houston, he has written for the Houston Chronicle, La Voz de Houston, MLSsoccer.com, and ProSoccerUSA.
Before becoming a journalist, Jesus spent his early 20s drumming his way across Houston with two bands — Shortcomings and InsertNameHere. The memories that Jesus made as a musician were the seeds that started the idea for the comedy, Houmans: The Series.