MLS Next U18: Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas

<p>The club soccer season is underway and teams from around the country are competing in their respective leagues in the first of several months of traveling and playing.</p>   <p>We, at Prep Soccer Texas, will follow as many matches and players as possible, paying close attention to everything that happens in the MLS Next, ECNL National and Regional Leagues and Girls Academy League, as well as showcases and tournaments, giving the talented players from the Lone Star State the exposure they deserve.</p>   <p>On Saturday, September 28, we were at the Houston Sports Park, where the Houston Dynamo and the FC Dallas U18 teams battled in the MLS Next.</p>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li><strong><a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2024/09/mls-next-u18-houston-dynamo-vs-fc-dallas-photos/?itm_source=parsely-api">MLS Next U18: Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas - Photos</a></strong></li> </ul>   <p>Playing on the road, FC Dallas scored early, with center back [player_tooltip player_id='86692' first='Ian' last='Charles'] rising above the defenders in a corner kick and heading it home. The Dynamo leveled the score in a quick transition play set up by Jahmani Bell, which Fadel Kone finished with a powerful shot in the right upper corner. In the second half, forward Nyle Waugh placed Dallas ahead again, driving the ball near the penalty box and finishing it with a low shot. In the final minutes, forward [player_tooltip player_id='15975' first='Christopher' last='Angelo Salazar'] came off the bench and sealed Dallas' victory by getting on the end of a cross by [player_tooltip player_id='284901' first='Josh' last='Torquato'].</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1840117035080049073 </div></figure>   <p>It was Dallas' first win in the MLS Next Flex as they now have five points (one win, two ties), ranking fifth in the Frontier Division. The Dynamo, on the other hand, have four points (one win, one tie, two losses) and rank seventh.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players of the Match</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Cortellessa had one of his typical flawless performances at right back and was an important element in Dallas' victory. The defender was particularly important in the second half, when the Dynamo tried to create chances through his side and he responded well, keeping things under control there. Cortellessa didn't get to the end line very often, but was very efficient when he pushed forward, making smart combination plays with his teammates and never forcing plays or turning the ball over. He was also very vocal and communicated very well with his teammates, keeping the backline organized during the entire match.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_8210.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-263723" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Dynamo U18 vs. FC Dallas U18</figcaption></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The Dallas captain formed a strong center back duo with Mikey Murphey. Very physical players, the two controlled the penalty box and the central area of the field, forcing the Dynamo attackers to go out wide - they were only beaten in a quick transition play, which started in a turnover. Charles also contributed to the team's offense and paved the way for the team's win by scoring the first goal with an excellent header. He was also very patient and comfortable on the ball, hitting some great long diagonal passes.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_8198.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-263718" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Dynamo U18 vs. FC Dallas U18</figcaption></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Hickam, who made his pro debut with North Texas SC a couple of months ago, was another key piece in Dallas' defensive system. He was excellent at shielding the team's backline and denied many of the Dynamo's attempts with his ability to read plays and intercept passes. Hickam was always very firm with his tackles and won most of the duels he was involved with, consistently disrupting plays. He was solid with his ball distribution and also knew the best moments to push forward and support the offense, be it with runs on the ball or off of it.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_8196.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-263717" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Dynamo U18 vs. FC Dallas U18</figcaption></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The box-to-box midfielder had an excellent match for Dallas, combining tremendous quality on the ball and impressive intensity. Swann was very committed defensively and played with great energy without the ball, making tackles and helping his team recover possession. When in control of the ball, he dictated the team's pace with his intelligent passing, consistently finding the forwards in good spots and making shifts that disorganized the Dynamo's backline. Swann also had some dangerous runs on the ball through the middle and attempted some nice shots.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1840107610537636087 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The forward came off the bench during the second half and scored in a critical moment, sealing FC Dallas's victory. In the goal, Salazar displayed excellent positioning inside the penalty box to score off of a cross with a one-time finish. He also used his physical tools to make some plays with his back to the goal, getting on the end of long passes and engaging in quick combination plays. Salazar also </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Playing as a left-sided center back, Harris did a good job for most of the match, playing a major role in the Dynamo's backline. His physical tools are really impressive, as he's both strong and quick, and he made the most of them to win duels and stop plays through his side. His mobility allowed him to get first to passes sent behind his back and he used his big frame to shield it and keep possession. The left-footed center back also showed good quality on the ball, playing passes through pressure and also hitting long ones with a solid efficiency rate.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_8180.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-263732" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Dynamo U18 vs. FC Dallas U18</figcaption></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Bruegmann was the most offensively active player in the Dynamo's midfield three and tried to help the team create chances. He tried to play closer to the forwards and got some nice plays going with his excellent vision and accurate passing. He showed to be a very technical player, who can pass, dribble and finish with either foot. Bruegmann was also very disciplined defensively and helped his team when they didn't have the ball, using his frame to win duels in the center of the field.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_8241.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-263730" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Dynamo U18 vs. FC Dallas U18</figcaption></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The Jamaican Youth international was the Dynamo's most dangerous player on the field, being involved in the vast majority of the team's offensive plays. Bell displayed great versatility, appearing on both wings and also more centrally and used his dribbling and pace to beat defenders and create chances. He set up the team's goal, immediately reacting to a Dallas turnover to quickly push the ball forward and find Kone in a good spot. He connected particularly well with fellow forward [player_tooltip player_id='88508' first='Lionel' last='Gitau'] as the two tried to unlock the Dallas defense with combination plays through the middle and out wide.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/IMG_8150.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-263705" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Houston Dynamo U18 vs. FC Dallas U18</figcaption></figure>

The club soccer season is underway and teams from around the country are competing in their respective leagues in the first of several months of traveling and playing.