Well, we can’t say we are surprised at how that match turned out. This past weekend LAFC were on the road in the first of two away from home, this one the MLS meeting with Houston Dynamo, who came into the match not having won a match all season. However, despite Houston being inferior, LAFC came into the weekend with a heavily rotated squad as they keep one eye on this Wednesday’s second leg of the Champions Cup in Miami, giving the Dynamo a chance at the upset at home. This isn’t the first time LAFC have prioritized the midweek Champions Cup, and unfortunately, it’s not the first time it comes at the expense of points in the MLS.
Final from Houston. pic.twitter.com/iGNsR2ZCrp
— LAFC (@LAFC) April 6, 2025
We aren’t sure what’s more impressive from the first half of play. The fact Houston Dynamo were essentially given free rein to do everything they wanted in attack, finishing the half with 80% of the possession. Or the fact they did absolutely nothing with it, mustering a whopping one shot on target, despite LAFC practically begging them to attack. That said, we have seen Los Angeles retreat into their shell and go defense heavy before, but this was different. It was just very obvious from the start that the eight changes to the roster from the match prior, were taking their toll. Tactically, the plan appeared to be letting Houston enjoy their time on the ball, keeping tight defensively to prevent any clear looks at goal, see what could happen given any counter attacks, and get to the halftime break without conceding. For the most part, in that regard, the first half was a success, but it was far from enough even with all the changes. End of the day, this is still a squad that put out the likes of Denis Bouanga and Olivier Giroud, all respect to Houston, those two alone should have been enough to get past this Dynamo side.
As expected, the second half was a lot more aggressive from LA. Unfortunately, finding ways to break down defenses and threaten the goal, is still a struggle. Houston however, proved all you need is one shining moment, to come away with points in this beautiful sport of ours. In the 58th minute, some real slick passing came out of nowhere to open up the attack for Houston, leaving Jack McGlynn to take on defenders. He opted not for the pass, but for the long range low shot that had enough on it to get past Lloris for what would be the winning goal.
Jack McGlynn from distance and Houston have the lead! pic.twitter.com/sPDHhy0G9i
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 6, 2025
Finishing the half with just one shot on target, LAFC couldn’t find the equalizer, despite coming on even stronger late but the damage was done. The rotated squad couldn’t overcome the pesky Houston side that refused to lay down and came away with their first win of the 2025 season. Again, for those of us following this season, the result isn’t even shocking. This is a team that, on their best day, has struggled to find goals consistently and has had some pretty poor form away from LA, and we all knew the squad would be rotated only adding difficulty for this matchup.
While the bigger question at the moment seems to tiptoe around addressing the elephant in the room, in regards to the team once again putting more priority and focus in the midweek Champions Cup match than MLS action at the weekend, the bigger concern is the extreme lack of production from the club’s biggest stars. Two of the club’s Designated Players, Denis Bouanga and Olivier Giroud, have combined for a whopping zero goals with an astonishing zero assists through the first handful of matches this season. That, more so than wondering if the team should or shouldn’t prioritize Champions Cup, is the bigger concern. While the rotation was heavy, we can all agree it was still a team that should have, at the very least, left Houston sharing points. Now, the focus shifts to Wednesday, in what has immediately become a must-win matchup nursing just a single-goal lead on aggregate as they head into Miami.
Thoughts on the loss in Houston? Leave a comment below!