Late Equalizer Earns D.C. United Point Against Houston Dynamo
- Eric Liu
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
HOUSTON — Houston Dynamo FC was minutes away from opening the second half of its MLS season with a victory, but a late equalizer from D.C. United forced the hosts to settle for a 1-1 draw Wednesday night at Shell Energy Stadium.
Houston controlled possession for much of the evening and looked comfortable after Héctor Herrera opened the scoring just before halftime. The Dynamo continued to dictate the pace after the break, creating several opportunities to double their advantage, but the finishing touch never came.
That missed opportunity proved costly. D.C. United stayed organized defensively despite long stretches without the ball and gradually found more space in transition during the second half. Their persistence paid off in the 78th minute when Tai Baribo met Nathan Ordaz’s cross with a header, leveling the match and silencing the home crowd.
The final minutes became increasingly open as both clubs searched for a winner. Houston pushed numbers forward in search of all three points, while D.C. looked dangerous on the counterattack. Neither side could find the decisive goal before the final whistle.
Although the draw extended Houston’s unbeaten home run, it also felt like two points dropped after the Dynamo finished with more possession, more shots and the majority of attacking opportunities.
For D.C. United, however, the result represented resilience. Trailing for much of the night on the road, the visitors remained patient, capitalized on one of their clearest chances and left Texas with a valuable point.
As MLS resumed following the World Cup break, Houston showed encouraging signs in possession and chance creation, while D.C. United demonstrated the ability to stay in the match until the final moments. Both clubs will now turn their attention to building momentum as the second half of the season continues.
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