daniel chigunwe
IT’S now becoming a familiar depressing story for Teenage Hadebe and his new Major League Soccer side, Houston Dynamo, who stretched their win-less run to a dozen matches, spread over three months, at the weekend.
The team’s last victory came in a 2-1 home win over Vancouver Whitecaps on May 23 this year.
Since then, they have failed to win a league match, in the 12 they have played, including losing their last three matches.
On Saturday, Hadebe and his teammates were back at home at the BBVA Stadium, but it was a familiar script as they lost 1-3 at the hands of Colorado Rapids.
Dynamo Houston are yet to win a match since Hadebe arrived at the club after being lured from the Turkish Premiership.
They were hoping a return home, and a lengthy stretch of games at BBVA Stadium, could jump start their season and kick off a run to a play-off appearance.
But, Colorado Rapids had other ideas.
Colorado were all over the hosts early on, keeping Houston pinned in their own half, and they got their goal just five minutes into the game when centre-back Lalas Abubakar headed in Jack Price’s corner kick.
The visitors continued to pressure the hosts, in the first quarter-hour, and Houston struggled to get out of their own half.
Michael Barrios headed over from close range after Diego Rubio picked out the winger.
The hosts got their first significant attack after 19 minutes.
There were some shouts for a penalty, as Adalbero Carrasquilla went down in the box, but nothing was given.
The ball cycled around again and the Panamanian volleyed wide, from close range.
Griffin Dorsey came close again as Carrasquilla played him in with a nifty flick but Yarbrough came out to keep the visitors in the lead.
Deep into stoppage time, of the first half, the hosts got a lifeline.
Michael Barrios clipped Maynor Figueroa, on the edge of the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Fafa Picault stepped up and sent Yarbrough the wrong way.
After the interval, Ariel Lassiter came on for Maynor Figueroa as Houston switched to a 4-3-3 and, in the 53rd minute, Maxi Urruti got in behind and Rapids’ goalkeeper, who brought down the Argentine striker.
The referee pointed to the spot but had a look at the monitor to see if Urruti was offside and if a foul had, indeed, been committed.
Urruti was judged to have been offside and the penalty was chalked off.
Andre Shinyashiki then picked out Cole Bassett and his diving header came off the post.
The visitors retook the lead, in the 60th minute, when Canadian international Mark-Anthony Kaye found room, on the left side of the box, and squared a ball for Michael Barrios to tap into an empty net.
It was Barrios’ fifth goal of the season.
Zarek Valentin and Joe Corona came on for the Dynamo, after 65 minutes and, not long after, Matias Vera had a golden chance.
The Argentine was slipped in one on one with Yarbrough and the Colorado keeper guessed early to deny Vera from close range.
Maxi Urruti got his best effort of the night, in the 77th minute, when he was able to pivot and shoot from the penalty spot. Unfortunately, it was a very tame effort, right in to the arms of Yarbrough. Colorado put the game out of reach, with 10 minutes to play.
Braian Galvan was given far too much space, on the right side of the box, and he picked out the far post to beat Marko Maric.
The defeat virtually ended Dynamo’s campaign, this season as they now look out of the race for the play-offs, which was always going to be an uphill task, with their lengthy winless run. In time added on, the referee briefly stopped the game because some of the fans were chanting a homophobic slur.
A stadium announcement was made, and play then continued.
Hadebe, who was making his sixth start for the side, featured the whole 90 minutes but the 25-year-old has found a team enduring a miserable run and he has been involved in three draws and three defeats.
In their last game, Houston fell 0-2 to Minnesota United, at the Allianz Field, last weekend. Hadebe arrived at Houston at a time the club have been struggling and they have now gone 12 games without a win.
The Zimbabwean defender has completed every game he has played, since he made his debut, in the goalless draw against Vancouver Whitecaps.
He played his next game in the 1-1 draw against San Jose Earthquakes and the barren stalemate against Real Salt Lake City.
Hadebe suffered his first defeat in the 2-3 loss against Austin FC.
He had a decent game despite the defeat, as he led the team with six clearances and two blocks against Austin FC.
Hadebe also finished tied for the most recoveries against Austin FC with five.
But, his team conceded twice, either side of the half last weekend, in what became their second defeat in as many matches.
On Saturday, the grim statistics continued as they suffered another miserable defeat, this time at home, as their nightmare keeps on unfolding.
Hadebe is set to be named in the Warriors squad for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia, next month.
He is the first-choice centre-back for the team. But, coach Zdravko Logarusic, is likely to be concerned with the way his confidence could be shaken by the defeats his club have been suffering. — Sports Reporter/Houston Dynamo.
Online Reporter