The Houston Dynamo have recovered from a slow start and look to win for the fourth time in five MLS matches when they visit Los Angeles FC on Sunday night.
Houston has recorded three 1-0 victories during the stretch and has allowed two goals during the span, which began after it was walloped 6-2 by the host Colorado Rapids on April 11.
The Dynamo (5-5-0, 15 points) were a vastly different team in the rematch in Houston on May 2, allowing just two shots on target in the one-goal victory as Jonathan Bond recorded his third shutout of the season.
“Last game, I felt that was our best performance,” Dynamo coach Ben Olsen said. “The technical side, the group defense, the tactical side. … I thought it was a step in the right direction to get closer to what we’re going to be.”
Lawrence Ennali scored his third goal of the season in the 72nd minute. He ripped a right-footed blast from well beyond the box into the upper portion of the net.
“Never scored a goal like that before,” Ennali said. “I hope there are many more to come.”
Guilherme, a midfielder, leads Houston with five goals.
Los Angeles FC (6-2-3, 21 points) defeated the Dynamo 2-0 in Houston on Feb. 28 with Mark Delgado scoring in the 56th minute and Stephen Eustaquio tacking on another in the 82nd minute. The Dynamo finished the match with just nine players as Antonio Carlos drew a red card in the second minute of first-half stoppage time and Agustin Bouzat was shown red in the 76th minute.
LAFC was outscored 4-0 by host Toluca FC on Wednesday to fall by a 5-2 aggregate score and be eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.
The match on Wednesday was scoreless until Toluca scored four second-half goals.
“We played eight (Champions Cup) games and we were excellent until the second half,” LAFC coach Marc Dos Santos said. “So in the whole competition we played one bad really half and it was the second half. …
“We can learn a lot from this. We’ve got to be strong because Sunday we play again.”
Los Angeles will be without star forward Denis Bouanga, who was suspended for the match due to yellow-card accumulation. Bouanga leads LAFC with five goals.
LAFC scored two late goals to gain a 2-2 draw with host San Diego FC on May 2. Bouanga scored in the 82nd minute and Ryan Hollingshead scored the equalizer in the 14th and final minute of second-half stoppage time.
–Field Level Media
