At the Whistle is The Striker's initial post-match assessment, delivered exclusively to Striker subscribers (as the title suggests) at the match's final whistle. Expect a more in-depth article on Wednesday night's match to come Thursday morning, including quotes from the post-match press conference.
The lead
HOUSTON — The Houston Dynamo and Pachuca played to a scoreless tie in the Round of 32 of the 2023 Leagues Cup. A 5-3 win in the penalty shootout saw the MLS side advance to the next round – to be played on Monday, August 7 against the winner of Charlotte FC and Cruz Azul.
Three things that caught our eye
After a friendly first half, the match intensified in the second period. Seven yellow cards following the halftime break including a bit of shoving that ignited tensions between the two teams.
Call it a renewed rivalry or just competitiveness but it brought a different edge that seems to follow these Dynamo vs. Pachuca encounters. Perhaps the most important caution was in the 60th minute when Hector Herrera could have been sent off, a decision that certainly would have had an impact on the result.
The physicality of this game certainly brought a different feel than what Houston faces in MLS encounters. It was also a good challenge to face a team that looked to take the ball away and disrupt what the Dynamo like to play.
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It has to be said that the attacking struggles continue for the Houston Dynamo. Held scoreless by a young Pachuca team for who Houston were the favorites again and, more importantly, now winless in eight games.
The absense of a key goalscorer continues to haunt the team. There's no one go-to option in the attack that has been a reliable piece in the goalscoring department.
Amine Bassi is the leading scorer but five of his tally of 8 league goals have come from the penalty spot. The goalscoring by committee isn't winning games and the good news is the last three results don't count towards the team's MLS Cup Playoffs hopes.
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An announced attendance of 10,431 spectators witnessed this encounter. This certainly felt a lot less calm in the stands than the old encounters but it's also 13 years removed from the last meeting around 15 years from the real heat of the rivalry.
The supporters' section was notably more packed than other pockets of the stadium. That right there is the indicator of what this bout meant for the hardcore fans.
These teams will have to face off more often for the rivalry to fully return but this match was a good "welcome back" for those reminiscing on the old encounters. It may just have been a one-night-only type of deal and, if that's all it was, it was about time.
We knew it was decided when...
It went to penalties again. For the third consecutive Leagues Cup match, the Dynamo ended a game in a stalemate and needed penalties to decide the encounter. Again it ended in a celebratory occasion with Steve Clark providing a clutch save in the penalty shootout. Luis Caicedo converted the winning kick to send the supporters into ecstasy.
What we might be asking in the press conference
What takeaways does the team take from this latest encounter?
What was the talk in the locker room after the result?
The team advances to the Round of 16, how helpful is it to advance and continue playing instead of sitting idle?
