Aug 24, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Dynamo FC defender Franco Escobar (2) dribbles over Toronto FC defender Kevin Long (5) in the first half at Shell Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports Prince Owusu scored his seventh goal of the season to lift visiting Toronto FC to a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night.
Federico Bernardeschi provided the assist off a corner kick on a night fellow Italian star Lorenzo Insigne did not dress after he was listed as questionable with a groin injury. Toronto (10-14-3, 33 points) also played without starting defender Raoul Petretta (yellow card accumulation).
But Sean Johnson made three saves to record his second consecutive clean sheet in league play, helping Toronto to a second straight MLS victory. That first win came back on July 20, before the Leagues Cup.
Houston (10-8-7, 37 points) lost at home for the third time this season and for the first time since April 20. The Dynamo were also shut out for the third time at home and fifth time overall this year.
The Dynamo outshot the Reds 17-10 and held 67 percent of the possession but could not capitalize on their opportunities, failing to potentially jump into the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings.
The match was arguably one-sided in favor of Houston in the first half, but the Dynamo were punished in the 54th minute for their inability to take advantage of that edge.
Bernardeschi curled an outswinging corner from the left toward the back corner of the 6-yard box, and Owusu met it with a header that deflected off the back of Houston’s Griffin Dorsey on its way past Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark.
Houston’s Franco Escobar struck the crossbar in the 63rd minute following a goalmouth scramble. Dorsey flashed a header wide right in the 77th minute, and substitute Sebastian Kowalczyk’s shot on the run forced Johnson into a diving but comfortable save in the 81st.
Houston had one final flurry around Toronto’s box in second-half stoppage time but couldn’t create a clear effort on goal from it. In the dying moments of the match, Kowalczyk somehow failed to register a header on Hector Herrera’s near-perfect diagonal cross to the back post.
–Field Level Media
