He didn’t get many opportunities this match, but when he did, Matthew looked sharp. One of the clearest chances of the half came from a wonderful play he orchestrated. He constantly looked to play the ball forward, mostly by playing it out wide. When possible, he tried driving the ball centrally. His movements on and off the ball showed how well he reads attacks.

Matthew is easily one of the most talented attacking midfielders I’ve seen so far. He’s an extremely skillful and technical player who isn’t fazed by pressure at all. He operates in the most crowded area of the pitch, and he makes it seem easy. The passes he plays are done with flair and incision. They find a teammate who, before the pass, didn’t have an option to receive it. When he receives the ball, he clears space for himself with unbelievable agility and skill. He’ll drop his shoulder and turn into space that didn’t exist when he received it. His long shots are fantastic, constantly making the opposition goalkeeper spring into action.

The second-best prospect in our Class of 2028 Texas State Rankings, Arana was part of the Houston Dynamo U19 team during part of the season. He had a meteoric rise in the second half of the season, becoming a key player in the club’s II team in the MLS Next Pro League, and signed a homegrown contract with the Dynamo, appearing in an MLS match at the start of the season at the age of 15. A technically gifted offensive player, he can operate as an attacking midfielder or on the left wing, bringing a lot of flair and creativity to the attack. Arana’s close control and creativity make of him an unpredictable dribbler, but he also thrives with his passing vision and his accuracy when finishing chances.

Arana plays for the Houston Dynamo , having recently signed a homegrown contract and made his MLS debut – he also plays for their II team in the MLS Next Pro League. He is the highest-ranked midfielder in the class, appearing in second place overall. He has a special talent with the ball, being capable of manipulating it as few other players of his age do. Arana is a creative and unpredictable attacking midfielder who’s at his best when isolated 1v1 with defenders out wide. He uses both feet well to dribble, pass and finish, and also has impressive vision to deliver game-changing passes in the final third. He made great strides in terms of becoming more consistent with his output and taking a larger role in the team’s playmaking, while also being an elite finisher.

Arana will be with the Houston Dynamo in their U19 division matches against New England Revolution, D.C. United and Connecticut United FC in Mesa. One of the most talented midfielders in Texas, he’s a U16 player who’s been playing up with their U19 team since last season and has even made his professional debut with Dynamo Dos in the MLS Next Pro League. Arana’s ball control is second-to-none and makes of him an extremely dangerous player in the final third. Capable of playing as a central attacking midfielder or wider on the left, he’s a nightmare to opposing defenders with his unpredictable and creative dribbling. Arana also finishes and passes well with either foot, and is a difference-maker in the attacking half.

Arana is one of the stars in his Houston Dynamo U16 team – they will play Toronto FC, D.C. United and Sockers FC in Group 13. Extremely technical and aggressive on the ball, he’s nearly unstoppable in 1v1 situations and is a true offensive force for them. He can play more centrally or on the left side of the team’s attack and has the skills to dominate the game on either spot, thanks to his ability to beat opponents off the dribble and his incredible vision in the final third. Arana uses both feet extremely well to dribble, pass and shoot, and is an excellent finisher.

The Dynamo’s main playmaker, Arana was again decisive, setting up Cottle for his game-winning goal with a perfectly-timed assist. Playing more centrally than usual (he typically appears on the left), the midfielder was heavily involved in the team’s playmaking and nearly scored early in the first half, with his shot hitting the crossbar. He was even more impactful in the second half, when he had more space to make plays and feed his teammates with great last passes into the final third. Arana was also very strong in 1v1 plays and did an excellent job of getting wide to get on the ball and keeping possession in the attacking half.

The Dynamo’s captain was a big part of the team’s offense, facilitating their playmaking and appearing well to finish chances. Playing more to the left, Arana combined well with his teammates and ended the match with two goals and two assists. He was very successful in 1v1 situations and created many chances with his dribbling skills out wide, but at times dropped deeper to initiate plays, having started the one that resulted in the team’s second goal with a beautiful long pass. Arana scored twice by bringing the ball inside from the left and hitting beautiful cross shots.

The Dynamo’s main playmaker was involved in most of the team’s successful offensive plays. Arana had a slow start to the match, appearing as a left winger, but improved when he moved to the right, getting more on the ball and engaging in combination plays. At times, he would get the ball far back in the Dynamo’s field and be able to progress it to the attacking half with quick, direct runs. Arana wasn’t extremely dangerous inside and around the penalty box, but connected good passes that initiated plays for his team.

Arana was the most dangerous Dynamo player on the field and the only one to consistently create problems for FC Cincinnati’s defensive system. Everything went through the crafty midfielder, who assisted in both of his team’s goals. Arana was very good at dribbling in tight spaces and very smooth on the ball, but also displayed great vision and precision with his passes. He had a lot of freedom to move in the final third and made the most of it, exploring different areas of the field to find pockets of space to get on the ball and make plays.