Houston Dynamo Handle Austin FC at Home with 2–0 Victory
HOUSTON — Houston Dynamo looked sharp and composed Saturday night as they secured a 2–0 win over in-state rivals Austin FC at Shell Energy Stadium. The match, held on April 26, saw goals from Ondřej Lingr and Ezequiel Ponce in the second half, giving Dynamo an important three points as they continue to climb the Western Conference standings.
The first half was tightly contested, with both teams exchanging possessions and feeling each other out. Houston started to settle in after the break. Lingr opened the scoring in the 61st minute with a clinical finish from inside the box after Dynamo's midfield put together a patient build-up. The goal shifted momentum heavily in Houston’s favor.
From there, Dynamo kept pressing and eventually capitalized again in the 79th minute. Ponce found the back of the net after a defensive lapse from Austin, calmly slotting home the second and all but sealing the match. The energy in Shell Energy Stadium picked up immediately as the home fans erupted, sensing the result was in hand.
Austin had some moments in the match but struggled to generate quality chances. They managed eight total shots but only two were on target. Their attack, led by Sebastián Driussi, never truly broke through the disciplined Dynamo back line. Houston keeper Steve Clark stayed solid and rarely looked threatened.
The midfield battle was key. Houston’s Obafemi Awodesu and Griffin Dorsey did well to disrupt Austin’s rhythm and launch quick transitions the other way. That tempo gave Houston the upper hand in the second half and led directly to both goals.
Possession stats were nearly even—Houston with 50.6% and Austin with 49.4%—but it was the hosts who made more of their time on the ball. Houston registered 11 shots, six of them on frame, showing greater sharpness in the final third.
A crowd of 17,808 turned up for this Texas derby, and the atmosphere was electric throughout. Every touch and tackle drew a reaction, and yellow cards flew on both sides as emotions ran high. Houston ended with three bookings, while Austin collected five.
With this result, Houston bumps their record to 7-6-11, putting them at 27 points and closer to playoff contention. Austin stays ahead in the standings at 9-6-8, but dropped points on the road might come back to haunt them down the stretch.
Up next, Houston travels to face FC Dallas, while Austin will look to bounce back at home against San Diego FC. For Dynamo, the win couldn’t have come at a better time as they push for consistency in the second half of the season.