HOUSTON – On Tuesday night, the Houston Dynamo left BBVA Compass Stadium frustrated. They’d just dropped a second home game in a row, a 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, completing a three-game stretch there with just one point.
Was their play better? Yes, especially compared to the disastrous 4-1 loss to FC Dallas the week before. Houston dominated Tuesday’s game in chances, possession and for all but one play defensively.
Still, that one moment tripped them up.
As the club hits the road to face a star-studded Toronto FC team in the Canadian club’s first match at a remodeled BMO Field, the message is clear: It has to get better, and quick.
“You take positives and negatives out of every game, but it’s a hard one to swallow. We did play some good stuff, we did have some good chances, but that’s the name of the game,” Dynamo left back DaMarcus Beasley said. “The name of the game is to get three points and win football matches. No one’s going to remember that we outpassed them. No one’s going to remember that we had more chances than they did.
“Only thing they’re going to remember is that they beat us 1-0 in our house. To get one point out of possible nine is unacceptable. As players we have to look to ourselves and do better.”
Houston’s three-game home slump started with a knock-down, drag-out 4-4 draw with Sporting Kansas City. A defensive calamity followed against Dallas, and then the tough-luck loss to San Jose, where they missed a few clear chances to win the game.
“We just need to get points. We can’t keep losing games,” Beasley added. “We have some good players, we have experience, we have youth and talent. I have no doubt we’ll turn good these next few games.”
Now, the road beckons. Houston’s managed to invert conventional wisdom regarding home and away, producing some of their best performances away from their suddenly not-so-comfy confines.
Two of Houston’s best 2015 displays, against the LA Galaxy and D.C. United, were on the road. Both draws, the Dynamo were composed and confident out of the gate. The mistakes, while they led to draws, did not kill their chances. In fact, their work rate and urgency was ratcheted up from what they've shown at BBVA Compass Stadium.
They’ll need to use that to their advantage against TFC at a sold-out BMO Field Sunday.
“It’s a great chance for us to go on the road and show the performances we had at LA, Seattle and D.C.,” head coach Owen Coyle said. “We’ve got to give balance to it and understand that as we go, as we do at home, away from home the onus is on the home team to come out. There’s some merit in having different game plans away from home.
“What we do know is regardless of styles, shapes and players, we’re going to have to be at our very best.”
Houston’s defense was a source of contention the past few weeks. The club gave up nine goals in three games – and eight in two – thanks to a series of mistakes which drew Coyle’s ire.
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The Dynamo know Sunday will be another demanding occasion. They’ll face a talented TFC squad headlined by the sharp duo of Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore, who have scored four goals each, Altidore’s coming on only 11 shots.
The pair has terrorized opponents with skilful combinations and sharp finishing.
“I know they have very talented guys in attack and it’s probably a good moment for us to play them, because we're playing maybe very soft defensively the last three games,” center back Raul Rodriguez told MLSsoccer.com.
“The last game [against San Jose] we were more solid … but I think it’s a very good moment for us to see how solid can we play. These guys are going to put a lot of pressure on us, so we have to keep pushing.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
