Houston Dynamo FC, Real Salt Lake battle to scoreless draw

By Jennifer Edwards
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 31, 2021) Houston Dynamo FC took on Real Salt Lake on Saturday night, looking for a win after their draw against San Jose. The Dynamo looked to better their record from 3-8-4 and the 10th place standing in the MLS Western Conference. The match marked the first time Houston saw attacker, Mateo Bajamich. 

In the first 10 minutes of play, both teams show rather equal strength in passing and defending. The goal post saved the Dynamo at the 10 minute mark and an excellent rebound save from Maric kept Real Salt Lake from scoring. At the 20 minute mark Real Salt Lake continued to push the Dynamo defense, trying to find an opening; and the defensive line holding strong, but Salt Lake was making them work for it. 

RSL’s goalkeeper had spectacular saves in the 22nd and the 23rd-minute of play to deny the Dynamo a chance at an early lead. Standout of the first half for the Dynamo was Sam Junqua, who spent a lot of his time moving the ball out of the goal area and frustrating Real Salt Lake. The best chance the Dynamo had in the first half was Memo Rodriguez,  who hit the goalpost with the best chance of a goal in the first half. 

Going into halftime the Dynamo had seven shots on goal, six saves and four corner kicks to Real Salt Lake’s six shots on goal, seven saves and four corner kicks. The half showed that both teams were rather equally matched in play. 

The second half of play saw the Dynamo substituting in Corey Baird for fresher legs in the midfield. Baird had one on target shot in stoppage time. 

Baird “...had a great game, not easy. He landed last night about midnight. So, he barely had a chance to adapt to breathing Houston air for a few hours. Here he is, thrown into a game that’s 0-0 during the second half against his old team.” 

During the second half of play Real Salt Lake was reduced to 10 men playing because of a second yellow card being shown to Justen Glad. These two teams were pretty equally matched with Real Salt Lake having possession of the ball 55% of the time. The Dynamo will need to work on being more aggressive on the offensive strategies in order to open more space for the attackers to be able to shoot the ball more accurately. 

Houston will hot the road to play Austin FC on Wednesday, August 4, with at 8:00 p.m. kickoff at Q2 Stadium.

Local swimmers find success at TAAF Games of Texas Summer State Championships

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (July 30, 2021) Two local Pasadena/Deer Park-area swimmers concluded their summer comeptitve season at the 2021 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) Games of Texas Summer State Swimming Championships in Corpus Christi, Texas. The competiton was held at the Corpus Christi Independent School District Natatorium and saw swimmers from around Texas vie for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Nicholas Brown (shown left) and Levi Del Angel (shown above) competed in the boys 13-14 age group and came home with five top 10 finished in their events. Del Angel, who will be a freshman at Pasadena Memorial High School competed in three events while Brown (shown left), who is also an incoming freshman, at First Baptist Christian Academy in Pasadena, swam two events.

Del Angel placed fifth in all three of his events; 100-yard freestyle with the time of  53.91 seconds, 50-yard freestyle (:24.89) and 100-yard individual medley (1:03.02). Brown placed seventh in the 50-yard bresaststroke (:34.91) and ninth in the 50-yard freestyle (:25.76).  

After his competition session, Brown stated,

"Being in Corpus was lots of fun, swimming against good competition was fun.  After the races he enjoyed eating at the Whataburger by the Bay.   I have been to State Games before and every time I have been I enjoyed it." 

Prior to the state championships, both young men competed in the TAAF Region 14 Swimming Championships at Katy High School in Katy, Texas. Del Angel won gold medals in all three of his events; 100-yard freestyle (55.60), 50-yard freestyle (:25.21), and 100-yard individual medley (1:05.28). Brown won the region title in the 100-yard breaststroke (:34.03) and took a silver medal in the 50-yard freestyle (:25.64).

The 2021 and 2022 TAAF Games of Texas are hosted by the City of Corpus Christi.

South Belt Area "All Stars" Swimming Team headed to TAAF Games of Texas

By Chris Price
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

KATY, TEXAS (July 27, 2021) The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team (SBAS) placed second in the team standings at the Texas AmateurAthletic Federation (TAAF) Region 14 Swimming Championships at Katy High SchoolNatatorium. SBAS qualified 21 individuals and three relays for the TAAF Gamesof Texas State Championships in Corpus Christi on July 29-August 1, 2021.

In the girls 11-12 division, Kirstin Kelly, who is a seventh grader at Deer Park Junior High, won gold medals in both the 50-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke, and the silver medal in the 100-yard individual medley, qualifying in all three events. This will be Kelly third trip to the summer state championships. In the girls 13-14 division, Phoebe Kaatz (Bondy Intermediate School) placed third in the 50-yard backstroke to punch her ticket to the championships. She also placed sixth in the 50-yard freestyle. Pasadena Memorial High School’s Vedika Deva will join Kaatz in Corpus Christi in the girls 13-14 division, placing third in the 50-yard breaststroke. She also placed fifth in the 50-yard freestyle.

The girls 15-17 age group will see a large contingent of swimmers who compete in high school for various Pasadena Independent SchoolDistrict. Pasadena High School juniors Emely Lopez (3^rd place: 50-yard butterfly and 3^rd place: 100-yard individual medley) and Briselda Diaz (1^st place: 50-yard breaststroke and 7^th place: 100-yard freestyle) will be competing at state. Pasadena Memorial High School will also have swimmers represent South Belt at state. Sophomore Samara Martinez (1^st place: 50-yard freestyle, 3^rd place: 50-yard breaststroke, 4^th place: 100-yard freestyle and 8^th place: 50-yard butterfly) will be joined by juniors Madison Arcizo (2^nd place: 100-yard freestyle and 4^th place: 200-yard freestyle), Nailea Esquival (3^rd place: 100-yard freestyle, 4^th place: 100-yard individual medley, and 6^th place: 50-yard butterfly), Jenae Flores (5^th place: 50-yard butterfly and 5^th place: 100-yard butterfly), along with senior Zulema Pica: (5^th place: 200-yard freestyle and 7^th  place: 50-yard butterfly. Pamela Guerrero, a junior at Sam Rayburn High School, placed second in the 50-yard backstroke, third in the 200-yard freestyle and fourth in the 50-yard butterfly.

South Belt will also have three women in the 18-and over master’s division. Former Pasadena HS and University of Houston swimmer Kristine Kelly won the 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke in the women’s 30-34 age group. Kelly will be joined by Renee Martinez, who won the 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke in the 50-54 age group, and Darla Kelly, who was victorious in the women’s 60-64 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard breaststroke.

 Three relays also qualified for the Games of Texas, with SBAS sweeping the top two places in the girls 15-17 200-yard freestyle relay. The foursome of Arcizo, Diaz, Lopez, and Flores won the gold medal, followed by teammates Pica, Martinez, Guerrero, and Esquivel, who took the silver. Arcizo, Diaz, Lopez, and Flores also combined to win the 200-yard medley relay.

 In the male division, Pasadena Memorial incoming freshman Levi Del Angel will compete in three events in Corpus Christi, by winning the boys 13-14 age group 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, and 100-yard individual medley. He will be joined by First Baptist Christian Academy’s Nicholas Brown, who won the gold medal in the 50-yard breaststroke and silver in the 50-yard freestyle.

Senior Harrison Brown (First Baptist Christian Academy) will compete in the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle, and 50-yard breaststroke, after placing first, first and second, respectively at regionals.

 McMurry University sophomore Christopher Brown, who will be in his second season competing for the WarHawks, will be swimming four events at state after placing first in the 18-24 200-yard freestyle, 50-yard breaststroke, and 50-yard butterfly and second in the 100-yard individual medley at the region meet. Brown swam in high school for First Baptist Christian Academy.

 Also competing at the region championships was Elias Pica, who placed seventh in the 25-yard freestyle and eighth in the 25-yard backstroke in the boys 9-10 age group.

 This year will make the seventeenth year since 2005 for SBAS swimmers to compete at the Games of Texas since 2005. The Games of Texas were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.

The South Belt Area “All Stars” Swimming Team is a select swimming team consisting of elite swimmers from the Deer Park, Pasadena, Pearland, Friendswood, Clear Lake and greater Houston area.

2021 Games of Texas opening cermonies cancelled

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (July 24, 2021) Due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation (TAAF) and the City of Corpus Christi has cancelled the opening ceremonies of the Games of Texas.

The opening ceremonies, which were slated for Friday, July 30, would have been attended by competitors, coaches, game officials, and spectators in numbers exceeding 10,000. Officials felt the decision would help reduce the risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

In addition, TAAF will direct everyone involved in the Games (athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators) to wear face coverings during all events. In addition, social distancing and hand washing/sanitizing will be encouraged. For more information, go to www.taaf.com.

 

USWNT fall to Sweden, 3-0 at Olympic Games

By Jennifer Edwards

Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

TOKYO, JAPAN (July 21, 2021) The United States Women’s National Team suffered their worst loss in recent history, losing to Sweden 3-0 in the qualifying round of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The United States showed their defensive weaknesses that have plagued them for some time. Sweden was able to press the US for 90 minutes, never giving the U.S. a chance to set up or regroup. Striker Stina Blackstenius was a standout for her team and an aggravation for the U.S. defense scoring two of the three goals. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher tried to keep the goals from connecting, but the defensive pieces just weren’t there. 

The United States never got the chance to create their signature set-ups and set pieces to score. Megan Rapinoe said, “I don’t remember the last time we gave up a goal. So to give up three is not great.” Sweden has always been one of the United States’ toughest opponents. The two teams tied 1-1 in their last friendly match early in 2021. 

The United States will take on the New Zealand Ferns on the 24th of July at 6:30 A.M. central time with a replay shortly after that. The match will air on NBCSN.

CONCACAF Doubleheader at BBVA Stadium Scheduled to Resume at 7:50 p.m. CT

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 13, 2021) Today’s Concacaf Gold Cup doubleheader at BBVA Stadium will begin at 7:50 p.m. CDT with the opening game of Group D between Panama and Qatar. 

The doubleheader was postponed due to lightning in the area around the stadium. The teams were allowed to enter the pitch at 7:20 p.m. CT and will have 30 minutes to warm up. The second match of the doubleheader between Honduras and Grenada will begin at 10:10 p.m. CT.

 For the safety of everyone involved, all players, referees and staff were not permitted on the field while there was lightning near the stadium, and the seating bowl was cleared. During the delay, fans were able to either stay in the stadium on the concourse or leave the stadium to seek shelter elsewhere. If fans left the stadium due to the weather delay, they may scan their ticket on exit in order to return when play resumes.

Houston Dynamo FC and FC Cincinnati battle to 1-1 draw

Photo  by
Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly 
Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (July 3, 2021) The Houston Dynamo FC is quickly becoming the "King of the Draw" during the 2021 Major League Soccer season. On Saturday evening, they added another point to their season total with a 1-1 draw against FC Cincinnati at BBVA Stadium. The draw was the fourth consecutive draw by the Dynamo.

Both teams picked up one point in their season total, which kept them relatively in the same place in the MLS standings. The uniqueness of this game was in the sequence of the scoring and the flow of play in the game.

Houston found gold early in the game with their fastest goal of the season. In the third minute, Sam Junqua skipped a pass across the field to Tyler Pasher, who quickly drilled the ball into back of the net to take a 1-0 lead. Two minutes later, Cincinnati midfielder/forward Alvaro Barreal scored from 12 yards out to even the score at one-all.  

For the remainder of the match, both teams battled back-and-forth with neither finding an opening to allow them to take the lead. Rough and aggressive play was the norm for the reminder of the match with numerous "incidents" drawing negative reactions from the crowd when yellow cards were not issued.

Houston head coach Tab Ramos commented after the match about the four consecutive draws by his team.

"I mean, it depends how you look at them. Obviously, we're trying to win the games and I think you could see that day. The idea is to win, I didn't think we played well away at Real Salt Lake and got that draw, but we got a good result and played pretty well against Portland at home. We should've gotten a win there and today we should've got a win too. So, there's only so much I can ask of the team. At the end of the day, I think they made a great effort today and today should've been three points."

Pasher also weighed in on the draws.

"Yeah, I think we are all disappointed because at home, we set a standard that we win every game at home and it has been frustrating but, the positive note from it is that we are so close to being there. These past few games we could be going up three or four goals in the first half. It's just a series of unfortunate events that we are continuing to work on and work through and get better each day, at least we are walking away with a point and hopefully we start putting more goals away and winning at home and on the road."

Next up for the Dynamo is a Wednesday, July 7 meeting with the Seattle Sounders with an 8 p.m. kickoff.