The Houston Dynamo earned their second consecutive positive result with a 0-0 draw at Orlando City SC Saturday night. Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis earned his fourth clean sheet of the season, posting four saves on the night to deliver the result for his side.
The Dynamo created a pair of golden scoring chances in the first half but were not rewarded on either. The first came in the 17th minute when defender Alejandro Fuenmayor sent a long ball upfield, putting forward Romell Quioto in alone against Orlando goalkeeper Adam Grinwis. Grinwis was first to the ball at the edge of the box, but his touch to collect the all was too heavy, creating an opportunity for Quioto. The ‘keeper dove for the ball but Quioto managed to get a toe on it, poking it away from Grinwis and dribbling it into an empty net for an apparent goal. The play went to Video Review and called back by referee Baldomero Toledo, who whistled a foul on Quioto for kicking the ball out of the goalkeeper’s possession upon review.
The second half began with a quick foul by Dynamo midfielder Darwin Cerén, leading to a free kick just outside the box. Orlando forward Yoshimar Yotún took the shot, but it caught the foot of Kljestan and trickled wide of the target. The Dynamo saw their first chance of the second half in the 58th minute, when midfielder Boniek García sent a long diagonal ball to Quioto to put him behind the defense. Quioto ran onto the ball and fired a low shot from just outside the box that was saved by an onrushing Grinwis.
Dynamo midfielder Tomás Martínez gathered the rebound and sent another shot on target, but his effort was blocked by a diving effort from an Orlando defender. Houston created a pair of late scoring chances as the game neared its conclusion.
In the 89th minute when midfielder Arturo Alvarez, a second-half substitute, dribbled through two Orlando defenders into the penalty area, but the defense was able to recover just in time to deny Alvarez a shooting chance. Then in the first minute of stoppage time, Alvarez slipped forward Ronald Peña in behind the Orlando back line, but the Venezuelan’s low shot was saved by Grinwis.
