Houston Dynamo 2 v MNUFC2
Sabercats Stadium | Houston Texas
07.23.2023 | MLS NEXT Pro Game No. 18
6:00 p.m. CT | Streaming on MLSNEXTPro.com
MNUFC2 got back to winning ways once more on Sunday with an exhilarating 2-0 shutout win over LAFC2. Goals from Diogo Pacheco and Emmanuel Iwe propelled the Loons to victory, giving the squad plenty of momentum heading into this week's matchup against Houston Dynamo 2.
That momentum will play out on both sides of the pitch, with the defense looking to continue their solid shot-stopping and the attacking corps hoping to build on a performance that saw them let loose 26 shots on the night, with 10 on target. This bounceback game came as a welcome boost to Head Coach Cameron Knowles.
"We felt like we had let one get away from us last week," Knowles said. "To come back and for the game to play out similar in that we had early chances that we didn’t take, and then to come out in the second half and really take those opportunities and put the game away. So, really just moving on from that one last week and coming out and getting a really good performance from a lot of our guys."
The Twos have found a rich vein of form recently, producing four shoutouts in their last five matches and scoring eight goals while they were at it. This run has seen the Loons rise into a playoff spot in the Western Conference, with their 26 points currently good enough for the sixth spot. Though it would be wrong to describe this as a season turnaround, it has certainly been a recovery period for the squad.
"I think everything comes [down] to the training and the team this year," said midfielder Diogo Pacheco. "We’ve been working really hard to work on our game together, and I feel like those chances just come from the work of the entire team. I’ve been trying to be more clinical this year, and I think that’s been a big part of it. I’m just really happy with the performance of the team today—26 shots—and if you keep playing like that, a few shots will go in. The defense was amazing; another clean sheet."
As far as the home team is concerned, the recent narrative has been a bit different. Dynamo Dos got a resounding 4-1 win when they visited the NSC Stadium earlier this season, but went on to lose their next four matches in a row. Their recent victory over North Texas SC snapped their losing streak, but who knows if they’ll be back at the top of their game after such a rough patch of play.
Dynamo 2 sit just one point behind MNUFC2 in the league standings, making this weekend’s matchup a pivotal one in the race for postseason soccer. The Twos have an opportunity to really make a statement in this one and announce themselves as serious contenders in MLS NEXT Pro.
With revenge on the mind and a chance at solidifying their place in the playoff race, the Twos are going to be extra motivated for this one. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT, with streaming available via MLSNEXTPro.com or Major League Soccer’s YouTube channel for an alternative stream.
