Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera
Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera addresses the media after his side 3-1 loss to LAFC. (Jesus Acevedo Jr./The Bayoucitian)

Dynamo unbeaten home record shattered in 3-1 loss to LAFC

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HOUSTON – The Houston Dynamo entered Friday’s match against LAFC holding an unbeaten home record, but a second-half collapse cost them three points in a 3-1 loss.

The story of the game is the story of the Dynamo’s season to date. Dominate the first half, and sleepwalk through the second.

The game was there for the taking for Houston. The Dynamo’s onslaught in the first half should have resulted in more than one goal, but the team’s finishing, unlike LAFC, was severely lacking.

It’s a point Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera made sure to make in his post-game conference.

“With these types of teams that have some very good quality, you have to take advantage of the opportunity. We created so many, and we couldn’t finish,” Cabrera said.

“Then, they had one to finish the first half, [and] they tied the game. And then, they have those two in the second half, and they were clinical with their finishing. With the finishing, they were much better, and they show why they’ve been so good. We couldn’t finish, we couldn’t create.”

Finishing scoring opportunities hasn’t been Houston’s forte this season and it was magnified against LAFC.

With Houston’s lack of finishing this season, it begs to ask the question, are the Dynamo training enough on finishing.

“(We practice) every day. We practice finishing every day,” Cabrera said. “We constantly practice finishing. It’s not because of a lack of practice. At the end in those moments, you have to make the difference.”

The difference for the Dynamo against LAFC was the lack of spark in the second half. It’s an issue the players know all too well.

“The thing is we have to be stronger, both mentally and physically. We start really well in the first 45 minutes, I thought we were the better team and we deserved to be up by a couple of goals, but they are a strong team and they really made us work in the second half,” Adam Lundkvist said.

“We need to be more disciplined when the going gets tough – we have to do a better job of staying compact and defend better or allow as many counter-attacks. I think that is what killed us in the end.”

The difference in halves is staggering.

Houston had nine shots in the first half, with four being on target. In the second half, the Orange only managed four shots, only one being on target. Furthermore, the Orange had four corner kicks in the first half, yet failed to win one in the second half.

After the final whistle, Dynamo players hanged their head low. Visibly upset with the result.

“I think more than tired; that mentally, they were affected with the result at home. We haven’t been in this situation at home, losing 3-1,” Cabrera said. “It’s something we weren’t used to, we aren’t used to. It’s something that, for me, the pressure, the mental situation, being down 3-1 at home.”

And while the team can practice finishing, getting stronger mentally is not something once can practice.

Dynamo ‘keeper Joe Willis says each player needs to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves if they’re giving everything they can to the team, and what they can do better.

“Myself included,” Willis said.

If there’s one positive to take from Friday’s 3-1 loss is Romell Quioto scored for the second consecutive game.

Quioto now has two goals on the season and if the Dynamo are to make a return to the Major League Soccer playoffs, they will need the Honduran winger to play up to his level.

On his uneven play in the first half of the season, Quioto said he wasn’t 100 percent healthy.

“Yes, I had an injury that cost me. I didn’t have good games at the beginning of the season, but I’m getting to the level that I want to be in to keep scoring and I hope to continue that.”

The Dynamo (27 points, 8-8-3) now turn their attention to back-to-back road games against Atlanta United and Toronto FC.