And So It Ends: San Diego Crushes Houston’s Last Playoff Hopes
The Houston Dynamo is officially eliminated from playoff contention after falling 4-2 to Western Conference leaders San Diego FC. Houston’s last home match of the regular season brought excitement to the thousands of fans who attended a sold-out Shell Energy Stadium; however, the team did not reach its objective.
Houston began the night applying great pressure to San Diego’s backline. The offense, led by Argentine striker Ezequiel Ponce, forced multiple mistakes as the Californian side attempted to build out of the back. Although Houston missed Jack McGlynn’s crossing ability, the team incorporated other players who provided similar skills in the final third. Houston’s opening goal of the night arrived 15 minutes into the match after Junior Urso placed a back-post cross to Felipe Andrade. The Brazilian combination allowed the Dynamo to find the net after multiple early failed attempts.
The storyline seemed too good to be true, and mistakes, once again, were made in a devastating second half that crushed the emotions of players, coaches, and fans. San Diego’s drive to find the equalizer led to the opening of spaces around the pitch that were effectively capitalized by the visitors. As seen in previous matches, building out of the back and controlling the possession of the ball have carried negative results throughout the season. Mistakes made in the backline and failed attempts to steal the ball high on the pitch allowed opponents to punish the Dynamo multiple times, and San Diego wasn’t the exception. The Californian side found the net four times in the second half with goals scored by Andres Dreyer (2), Luca de la Torre, and Amahl Pellegrino.
The frustration was visible in every player and member of the coaching staff as the game went on, and the reality of the team’s present was unavoidable. Fans began leaving the stadium early with five minutes remaining in the match, as the night was highlighted by the same mistakes and issues that have punished the team all season long. Houston ends MLS regular play with a home record of 5-9-3, one of the worst records in team history.
The Dynamo will finish the 2025 MLS season at Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, Oct. 18.
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