Viva Houston – The Houston Dynamo’s indomitable form at home continues to impress this season. With only two goals conceded in eight MLS home games, the team has achieved its best defensive record in club history.
Nelson Quiñónes opened his account in league play in a thrilling showdown at Shell Energy Stadium. At the same time, Amine Bassi, the team’s top scorer, notched his seventh goal, propelling the Dynamo to a resounding 4-0 victory over Los Angeles FC on Saturday night.
Houston (6-7-3) celebrated their sixth home win of the season, demonstrating their attacking prowess by scoring four goals for the second consecutive match and the third time this season. Their recent triumph over Chicago in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, where they triumphed 4-1, further solidified their attacking credentials. Although the Dynamo’s only home defeat came against Seattle, a narrow 1-0 loss on May 13, they have outscored opponents by an impressive margin of 13-2.
Deputizing for the suspended Ben Olsen, Assistant Coach Brendan Burke emphasized the fans’ desire for urgency and acknowledged their excellent support. Burke also highlighted the team’s developing chemistry, stating, “From a technical standpoint, it takes time to develop that chemistry, and I think you’re starting to see big flashes of it coming together.”
The Dynamo dealt a blow to LAFC (7-2-5), the defending MLS Cup champions, who suffered their first loss since May 6, when they fell 2-1 to San Jose, ending their four-game unbeaten streak in league play. Houston climbed above the playoff line with 21 points in the Western Conference standings, while LAFC remains in third place with 26 points.
The Dynamo showcased their depth by making two changes to their lineup from the previous victory over Chicago. Quiñónes, on loan from Once Caldas S.A. in Colombia until next month, scored his second consecutive goal for the club in the 11th minute, assisted by Adalberto Carrasquilla. Carrasquilla, who will join the Panama national team for the CONCACAF Nations League Finals, notched his third league assist with a splendid trivela pass that set up Quiñónes’ strike.
Quiñónes, having an exceptional week, secured his first goal for the club against Chicago while also winning the penalty that led to Bassi’s opening goal in that match. Once again, the Colombian forward won a penalty on Saturday, resulting in Bassi’s fifth set-piece goal in the 50th minute, extending the Dynamo’s lead to 2-0.
Burke expressed his satisfaction with Quiñónes’ progress, noting his growing understanding of his potential to be consistently dangerous at a high level. Quiñónes, delighted with the victory, expressed his confidence and eagerness to contribute more to the team, stating, “I’m happy with today’s victory… I have started two games, and that fills me with confidence to contribute more to the team.”
In the 63rd minute, Corey Baird, who replaced Quiñónes, swiftly made an impact by slotting home a right-footed shot to make it 3-0. Shortly afterward, Franco Escobar, assisted by Héctor Herrera, unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box to net his first goal for the club and extend the Dynamo’s lead to an emphatic 4-0. Both teams had 13 shots, with LAFC enjoying approximately 58 percent possession.
