HOUSTON – Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Montreal Impact had the Houston Dynamo talking slow starts once again.
Coming into Saturday’s game, Houston had conceded a goal in the first 15 minutes in two of their past three contests. Against Montreal, the Dynamo once again found themselves in a quick hole after conceding a fourth-minute goal to Sanna Nyassi, setting up another match where the Dynamo had to play from behind.
The early concessions have them chasing the game more than they would like, especially for a team playing as frequently as they are at the moment. As the season gets into the thick of the summer, the key for Houston going forward is how to reverse the trend.
HIGHLIGHTS: MTL 4, HOU 2
“We need to start on the right foot," forward Will Bruin told MLSsoccer.com. "In the last two games, we weren’t ready from the get-go and it cost us. It’s something we need to work on in the next week of training and I’m sure we’ll get it fixed.”
From bad to worse
Despite being down a goal, Houston were in the game heading into the final 25 minutes. Things quickly shifted back in Montreal's favor when referee Jose Rivero whistled Geoff Cameron for a penalty that Patrice Bernier buried to secure the three points for the Impact.
“We were down 3-2, the game was still within reach and of course goals make it tough,” said head coach Dominic Kinnear. “From where I was standing, it wasn’t a penalty.”
Forward pair clicking
One of the few positives that came out of Saturday’s match was the interplay between strikers Brian Ching and Bruin. The forwards have been clicking all season, making runs off each other and for each other – which Ching did on both goals in Houston’s midweek draw with Toronto FC. The pair produced once again on the second goal Saturday when the Dynamo captain set up Bruin for his fourth score in three matches.
“We’re starting to read each other more and more and feel more comfortable,” Bruin said. “I know what he likes to do and he knows what I like to do, so we’re starting and get that good partnership going.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
