U-18 win streak reaches six straight games
Dynamo beat Crew 3-1 to sweep Ohio opposition
Sunday's game included only four of the same Dynamo starters from the teams' July meeting, but Houston used nine players who saw action in that game The difference-maker, however, was 18-year-old Francisco Navas, who was not eligible to play in July but produced a goal and two assists Sunday to lead the Dynamo attack.
Flying high after a 4-1 win over Internationals (Cleveland) on Saturday night, the Dynamo came out quickly and took the lead in just the fifth minute. Attacking from the right, Navas (Houston Community College) crossed to the far post, where Abe Matamoros (Strake Jesuit) headed the ball back toward the middle. Martin Castillo (Pasadena Sam Rayburn) headed it over the charging goalkeeper, but the ball caromed back into play off the post, and Navas collected it and deftly used the outside of his right foot to bend a shot in off the left post.
Houston seemed to lose its concentration slightly after the goal, and Columbus had a few chances, with Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Wall (Strake Jesuit) making a solid save to preserve the lead. In the 27th minute, Navas helped Houston score again. First he used a showy dribbling move to create space and sent a pass into the box for midfielder Sebastien Ibeagha (Fort Bend Hightower), whose shot was deflected out for a corner kick. From the corner, Navas served a cross to the edge of the six-yard box, where Castillo went horizontal to deflect a diving header just inside the far post.
The Crew pulled a goal back in the 39th minute, when Houston's C.J. Odenigwe (Fort Bend Travis) was whistled for a foul in the penalty area despite his vociferous protests. The Crew's Kyle Culbertson converted the penalty kick to make it a 2-1 game. The Dynamo had two more good chances in the first half, as Ibeagha got behind the back line but had his near-post shot saved in the 42nd minute. In stoppage time, Navas had a right-wing free kick and bent the ball around the wall to the near post, but Crew goalkeeper Eric Osswald did well to get across the goalmouth and tip the shot wide.
The second half saw increased physical play from both teams, and Wall made a key play in the 58th minute, sliding to grab the ball of the foot of Columbus attacker Aaron Horton. The Dynamo extended their lead in the 63rd minute, as the always aerially adept Ibeagha rose highest to head in a Navas corner kick. Houston saw the game out from there for a 3-1 win.
In Saturday's game, the U-18s (7-2) dominated the Internationals and won 4-1 on goals from Castillo, Navas, Ibeagha, and Bryan Celis (Katy Mayde Creek). The young U-16 squad (2-5-2) had a tougher weekend, losing 4-0 on Saturday and 1-0 on Sunday despite a much improved performance.
The Dynamo Academy teams are next in action at the USSF winter showcase at the Reach 11 Sports Complex in Phoenix, Ariz., held Dec. 5-8. Houston will face Chivas USA (CA), Met Oval (NY), and NJSA (NJ). The Dynamo will then travel to San Antonio for a make-up game against Classics Elite Dec. 12 and host Dallas Texans Houston Dec. 16. The U-18 squad will conclude their 2009 schedule with a showcase match against the Dynamo Academy's college players on Dec. 19.
U-18: Columbus Crew Soccer Academy (1-1-0)
vs. Houston Dynamo Academy (7-2-0)
November 22, 2009 - Carl Lewis Track & Field Complex
USSF Development Academy
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Francisco Navas (unassisted) 5
HOU -- Martin Castillo (Francisco Navas) 27
CLB -- Kyle Culbertson (penalty kick) 40
HOU -- Sebastien Ibeagha (Francisco Navas) 63
Houston Dynamo Academy -- Pat Wall, Robert Kelley (Yannick Iwunze 79), Reagan Haisler (c), C.J. Odenigwe, Benji Saenz (Leo Ayala 85), Francisco Navas (Irvinn Ramirez 81), Sebastien Ibeagha, Sebastian Karpen (Adrian Mendoza 80), Bryan Celis (Steve Salinas 68), Abe Matamoros (Jade George 76), Martin Castillo.
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
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