Gabriel Segal scored a brace in the Houston Dynamo’s 3-0 road win over New York City FC on Wednesday.
Houston (5-6-5, 20 points) went ahead in the 26th minute on an own goal from New York defender Justin Haak. Segal extended the Dynamo’s lead in the 50th minute, then added an exclamation point with a penalty kick four minutes into second-half stoppage time.
Segal was making his first start and only his fifth appearance of the season, as regular striker Ezequiel Ponce was serving a one-match suspension. Segal rose to the occasion with his first two goals of the season, and his first brace in 28 career MLS matches.
The Dynamo are 3-0-1 in their past four regular-season matches.
Houston goalkeeper Jonathan Bond made one save for his fourth shutout in eight matches since signing with Houston in April.
New York City FC (7-6-3, 24 points) dropped to 6-3-0 at home this season as their three-match (2-0-1) unbeaten streak ended.
NYCFC almost entirely controlled the action during the opening 30 minutes, yet Haak’s mistimed clearance attempt put his club behind. In the 26th minute, Haak was attempting to head a Jack McGlynn shot away from New York’s net, but the ball instead deflected past goalkeeper Matthew Freese.
Though New York City had 59.2 percent of the possession in the first half, Houston held a 8-3 shots advantage (2-0 shots on target). The Dynamo nearly added another goal in the 41st minute, but Freese made a tremendous save to deny Segal on a breakaway chance.
Segal found redemption in the 50th minute. Erik Duenas’ initial shot was stopped by a diving Freese, but Segal was in position to deposit the rebound.
Aiden O’Neill had New York’s lone shot on target, with Bond making a nice save to deny O’Neill in the 58th minute. In the 64th minute, NYCFC’s Hannes Wolf had another good chance on a free kick that sailed just over the crossbar.
Nico Cavallo fouled the Dynamo’s Duane Holmes in the box during the second minute of added time, setting up Segal’s penalty kick.
–Field Level Media
