Houston and Philadelphia share points in McGlynn’s dramatic night
The Philadelphia Union visited the Houston Dynamo for another match of the 2025 MLS
Regular Season. The Union arrived in Houston as leaders of the Eastern Conference
with a record of 14 wins, 5 losses, and 3 draws, while Houston continues to battle for a
playoff spot that is mathematically close yet very far due to the 11 losses suffered in the
ongoing season.
H-Town Night celebration took place at Shell Energy Stadium, where a multitude of fans
were present to cheer for the home team. The first half unfolded rapidly, and
Philadelphia wasn’t afraid of the challenge. The away team, coached by Bradley
Carnell, formed with a 4-4-2 system that aimed to utilize the wings to create dangerous
attacks while forcing central midfielders and strikers to crowd the opponent’s 18-yard
box. Efforts from ‘The Union’ rewarded Bradley Carnell almost 15 minutes in when
Jakob Glesnes placed a cross into the box trying to find former USMNT player
Alejandro Bedoya. Glesnes cross was anticipated by Grifin Dorsey, but the right back
misread the play and couldn’t successfully clear the ball out of the box, allowing Bedoya
to find enough space to step over him and shoot the ball straight into Jonathan Bond’s
goal. The Dynamo had, once again, conceded a goal due to an innocent mistake made
by a defender and, as Head Coach Ben Olsen repeatedly stated early in the season,
“they shot themselves in the foot.”
The night wasn’t over despite Philadelphia’s control of the game and great momentum.
Multiple attacks from Duane Holmes and Ondrej Lingr during the first half forced the
away defenders to commit strong challenges in the final third. It was during aggregate
time of the first half when Houston equalized the match from the spot after the referee
was forced to call a penalty due to a clear handball derived from a Houston free kick at
the edge of the box. Former Philadelphia Union player Jack McGlynn defeated Andrew
Rick and celebrated by kissing the badge, a gesture that shows the complexity of
McGlynn’s trade to Houston and the importance of the match.
The momentum carried on and Houston approached Philadelphia’s final third with
intensity. Although the visitors showed great physicality and strength, the speed of play
displayed by Ben Olsen’s team increased with the substitution of Lawrence Ennali. The
need for the three points was evident, and the home side matched the intensity the
crowd was seeking. Midfielder and captain Artur advanced the ball forward in the final
minutes to take a shot from outside the box, which hit the post of Philadelphia's goal.
Despite Houston’s effort, points were shared between the two sides that finished the
night feeling empty, as they could have both scored the game-winning goal on multiple
occasions.
The Dynamo will finish its three-game homestand against the current MLS Cup winners
LA Galaxy, on Friday, July 25. The team from the West Coast is at the bottom of the
standings and has won only 3 games out of 24.
Post a Comment