Houston Dynamo II secured a 2:3 victory over North Texas at Texas Health Mansfield Stadium on Wednesday evening in their MLS Next Pro Group Stage encounter. The result shifts the balance in the standings, with the visitors closing the gap on the league leaders. It is a consequence of a match where momentum swung one way then the other.
North Texas had built something to build on earlier in the evening, but Houston Dynamo II found their response. The away side took control when it mattered, and by then the visitors had turned the game on its head. It was not a spectacle, but it was decisive.
North Texas sit fourth in the table on 38 points from 25 games, while Houston Dynamo II occupy second place on 48 points. The gap has narrowed considerably. And here's the thing — the visitors are now only ten points behind the summit with one game fewer played.
The statistics tell a story of effort without reward for the hosts. North Texas registered 73 attacks against 62 for the visitors, yet the away side's efficiency proved the difference. Seven shots on target yielded two goals, while five shots on target produced three. They punished them from the moments they created.
Recent form adds weight to this result. North Texas have not lost in four matches, including a convincing 4:1 win over Real Monarchs last weekend. Houston Dynamo II, meanwhile, have struggled in their last three outings, losing their two most recent fixtures 2:0 to Austin II and Minnesota United II. To be fair, the visitors had not found rhythm before this match.
We had backed North Texas to win, offering 43 per cent confidence, but the prediction did not hold. The match turned on those three or four moments rather than sustained pressure. The visitors saw it out after taking control, and the result sits uncomfortable for the home side.
