Fox Man's Grade Book: Dynamo earn first MLS win of the season, disappointing opener for the Toro

We got to see RGVFC and the Houston Dynamo play in the same weekend for the first time in 2019 and with both teams coming out with different results that played with my emotions.

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Key Points:

• RGVFC opened the 2019 USL Championship regular season with a 1-0 loss on the road against Tacoma Defiance.

• The Toros have yet to earn a victory on opening day (0W-1D-3L record).

• Houston Dynamo defeat Montreal Impact 2-1 to earn their first league win of 2019.

• Mauro Manotas scored his 50th goal with Houston across all competitions to bring in the three points.

• The Dynamo remain undefeated at home against Montreal (7W-1D-0L record).

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Rolling into RGVFC's fourth year of existence as a developmental side, changes still have to be done for head coach Gerson Echeverry's second season in charge (the club's longest-tenured coach). While playing some entertaining soccer at times this past year, the Toros have not reflected strong performances on the scoreline in numerous occasions and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second year running.

To address the defending and creativity issues surrounding the team, the Toros brought in players from their own Academy as well as some from the Dynamo Academy and 2019 MLS SuperDraft selections Brad Dunwell and Andrew Samuels.

The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros kicked things off this past Friday on the ideal conditions of proper soccer-ing for us peeps in Texas, a late West-Coast match. I was hoping such perfect conditions would mean a great outcome for the visitors...

But instead I was met with anger and anxiety for 90 minutes.

The Toros nearly dominated the entire first half with some good defending and presence in the final third with a mountain of opportunities to score at least three goals but failed to do so in great fashion. Wilmer Cabrera Jr., Camilo Monroy, and Carlos Small were doing wonders up top but one had to wonder if they were able to score sitters.

RGV looked like they disappeared completely after halftime and of course it would take a silly goal in the opening minutes of the second half for them to concede. Tacoma would capitalize off a loose ball inside the box after a set piece and it honestly looked like the Toros completely gave up on the match afterwards.

The Defiance would basically kill the momentum for the visitors and they would basically ice the match for the visitors.

Grade for the Week: D-

Decent first half for the most part, pathetic follow-up in the second half.

Fox MVP of the Night:

• Me: for staying up that late.

Honorable mentions:

• Wilmer Cabrera Jr.: great performance through some fantastic technique. Could have had a brace or a hat-trick that night, but no.

• Andrew Samuels: the man can play ball in the back, and I hope he keeps building up from his first start as a professional.

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On the other hand, the Dynamo brightened my weekend.

Coming off a 2-0 loss at home to Tigres UANL in Concacaf Champions League play, the Houston Dynamo needed a confidence-booster before heading to Monterrey for the-near-impossible Leg 2 next Tuesday. And they got it.

It was not the same front line of attack that we all love in the Starting XI, but rather a combination of Memo, Manotas, and Hairston up top. As unusual as it is, it still invites creativity on the flanks without the pace of Quioto and Elis which was fine by me. The main lineup also saw Kiki Struna's first MLS start, Lundkvist earning more minutes as LB, Boniek in the back with Ceren to accommodate Vera's suspension, and another day where Cabezas is still left out of the 18 as precaution.

The first half would go back and forth, but Montreal would claim the first goal of the match as AJ would miss his mark inside the box which would give Saphir Tider enough time to swipe the ball past Willis to the opposite side-netting. But the Dynamo would respond just minutes later after Martinez found Memo outside the box and the Homegrown would unleash a godly cannonball to equalize before heading to halftime.

The second half would see Houston playing much better as a defensive unit to the point that they would only allow one shot on target in the entire match (the goal). Cabrera would eventually sub in Quioto and Elis to spice things up and Quioto's presence on the flank would pay off once again as he provides the low cross for Manotas score his second league goal of the season and his 50th for the Dynamo in all competitions.

Houston would secure the three points for the first time in 2019 before heading to yet another crowded week ahead of them.

Grade for the Week: B+

Good performance overall. We need more of that defense (without the flukes).

Fox MVP of the Night:

• Maynor Figueroa: always looking for the ball and to build up from the ground up on his good days.

Honorable mentions:

• Memo Rodriguez: scored himself a golazo with a very solid first half. More please.

• Adam Lundkvist: defending well over time and not afraid to assist up top. Would love for him to keep proving me wrong and stop being a wild card.

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