Houston Dynamo uninspired play in 3-0 loss at PNC Stadium

It might as well have been three degrees at kickoff between the Houston Dynamo and Austin FC on Friday night. The Houston Dynamo after losing  “Coco’ Carrasquilla in the 16th went colder then a frozen margarita on ice. Meanwhile, Austin FC melted the Dynamo defense with three sizzling first half goals in 13 minutes following the injury. Three things, Houston fans observed in the 4-0 loss.

Everything is not what it seems

On Friday afternoon, head coach Paulo Nagamura, midfielder Darwin Ceren and forward Corey Baird talked about the excitement and how this team is different from previous seasons.  “I think we are definitely looking at this as a fresh season, a fresh start,” said Baird. “We are really trying to work hard to do everything we can to not only lighten the mood and make sure we are all positive, but make sure those times don’t come back.”  Well those times were back with a vengeance on Saturday night. Adversity struck in the 16th minute when Carrasquilla went down and the Dynamo surrendered three goals in the next 13 minutes of play. Looks like same team, just different leadership. Just proves DaMarcus Beasley’s point of a few years back that if the players don’t execute, it doesn’t matter who the coach is.

Carrasquilla proves his value

On Saturday night, Carrasquilla went down with an injury that forced him from the game in the 16th minute. One minute later before he had even had time to hobble to the tunnel leading to the locker room, Austin FC had the lead. Two minutes later, they had doubled their lead and it only took 11 more minutes after that to close out the came in the first 30 minutes of play. Carrasquilla’s injury proved almost instantaneously that this is a worse Dynamo team without him.  The Panamanian won last week’s preseason effort with a scintillating dash through the Colorado defense saving the Dynamo from an embarrassing draw.

Fans aren’t buying

If the attendance on Saturday night was any indication of fan support for the Houston Dynamo, there is a lot of work to be done before the season and home opener in two weeks. There appeared to be more empty beer cans than butts in the seats. Maybe that was due to it being three nil at the break or that it was 48 degrees at kick-off but either way this is a problem. A lot of words promising a difference from the top to the bottom but the same old result. The team came out flat at home just as it did with so many times with Tab and Wilmer over the last four years. The Beatles sang “money can’t buy me love” and neither can it buy the hearts of Houston fans. Only a winner can capture the hearts of a fanbase and Houston is far from that pinnacle.

The final whistle

Now ownership. New general manager. New coach. New players. Same result. You can talk the talk but until you walk the walk, Houston fans aren’t buying tickets much less anything else. Enough said.