Recap: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0, Houston Dynamo 0

Phil West

In what could be one of Vancouver Whitecaps FC's last matches in their home away from home, they dueled to a scoreless draw with Houston Dynamo FC at Rio Tinto Stadium on Tuesday night.

The first half was a generally cagey affair, with both teams failing to technically get a shot on goal. Each team had one solid attempt to rue. For the Whitecaps, it was Cristian Dájome's 20th-minute attempt which skated over the crossbar. For the Dynamo, it was Maxi Urruti's good-looking free kick in the 25th minute, which was stopped by the post, having beaten Thomas Hasal.

While Vancouver had the best of possession in the first 45, the Houston defense was able to keep the match in control, with newly-signed international Designated Player Teenage Hadebe already looking at home alongside Tim Parker in the middle of the Dynamo's backline.

Both teams continued at it in the second half, including Cristian Gutierrez's free kick in the 57th minute, nearly a mirror image of Urruti's first-half effort. It was from nearly the same spot, and hit the same post Urruti hit.

The Dynamo put on some attacking subs at around the hour mark to try to generate a goal, and those two subs, Darwin Quintero and Memo Rodriguez, nearly connected on an opener within two minutes of coming on. Quintero continued to create chances, but nothing that could result in a goal for the visitors.

Gutierrez then had another free-kick opportunity in the 80th minute, but decided to go left post rather than right post, and couldn't find any of his teammates in the vicinity of arguably the last good chance of the night.

Goals

None

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: The result probably favored Houston and helps with the overall goal of reaching the playoffs, but a scoreless draw isn't what any MLS team sets out to do when it takes the pitch.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The free kicks were very possibly the most exciting moments of the match, and Urruti's first-half attempt was one of the first real moments of clear danger.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Dajome brought the first quality chance of the match, sent in dangerous crosses throughout the 90 minutes, and though he was ultimately unlucky, he put in a very active shift.