Fox Man's Grade Book: Dynamo out of CCL and secure best league start in club history, Toros need

We keep riding the good ol' orange roller coaster of emotions as the Dynamo are eliminated from the 2019 Concacaf Champions League but earn seven points out of their first three matches at the start of the MLS regular season and the Toros descend to the bottom of the Western Conference standings as they start things off the wrong foot in USL Championship.

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Key Points:

• Houston Dynamo lose 1-0 (3-0 aggregate) to Tigres UANL in Leg 2 in Monterrey, Mexico and bow out of the 2019 Concacaf Champions League.

• The Quarterfinals remain the highest place the Dynamo have ever reached in the competition (2009, 2013, and 2019).

• Houston Dynamo defeat Vancouver Whitecaps 3-2 thanks to a Memo Rodriguez brace and a goal from the spot plus two assists by Alberth Elis.

• With seven points from two wins and one draw out of the initial three matches, the Dynamo enjoy the club's best start of the regular season. 2019 also marks the first time Houston hosted three league matches in a row to start the regular season.

• Mauro Manotas made his 100th league appearance while Memo Rodriguez recorded his first multi-goal match and a career-high three goals in one season.

• Rio Grande Valley FC Toros fell 2-0 to Fresno FC in their first match of the 2019 USL Championship season at H-E-B Park.

• The Toros equal their worst start of the season after two matches: two losses in their first two matches in 2017 and 2019.

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Stuck in a 2-0 hole after Leg 1 in Houston, #CCLfever was high in Monterrey and the Dynamo looked to bounce back in the aggregate scoreline this past Tuesday. Houston held a strong defensive performance in the first half but failed to hold together in the second half as Carlos Salcedo was at the right place at the right time to break the deadlock and put the series out of reach for the visitors, the Dynamo also had a very silent evening offensively since the Mexican side effectively shut down the trifecta we all know and love.

Overall, Tigres was on top of the series since Leg 1 and once again revealed the gap between Mexican soccer and the ever-complex conundrum that is American soccer.

Saturday rolled in and the Dynamo managed to earn three points against a highly-offensive Vancouver Whitecaps. Despite the Whitecaps tying the score twice after a penalty kick conceded by Adam Lundkvist and Lass Bangoura capitalizing off a 1v1 opportunity after a silly giveaway, Memo Rodriguez rose up to the occasion once again and made himself available twice to score twice thanks to Alberth Elis who will record two assist and one goal off the spot.

Houston's defensive vulnerabilities showed up again as the hosts are still unable to secure a clean sheet to start the season. With that said, the Dynamo showcased their explosive line of attack that brings headaches to countless back lines. With no matches to play until March 30 due to international break, the men in orange have plenty of time to figure out a consistent starting defense (start Fuenmayor maybe?).

Later on that day, the Toros opened things up at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas for the first time in 2019. With my hopes through the roof for RGVFC to turn things around after a disappointing result in Tacoma, I was met with a wet blanket of frustration instead. They did hold most of the possession for the entire match, but their lack of urgency and creativity made it feel like Fresno were the dominating side. Arun Basuljevic would punish the host's defense twice and they will maintain their lead by the time the final whistle blew.

It is pretty early in the season, but the Toros have got to turn things around pronto.

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Dynamo Grade for the Week: B

Good string of matches to open the season, work on marking, placement defensively, and focus on road points.

Toros Grade for the Week: F

Abyssal performance for a home opener. Please stop.

Fox MVP of the Week:

• Alberth Elis: two key assists to Memo and a goal that changed the outcome of the match, Elis keeps getting that bread.

Honorable mentions:

• Memo Rodriguez: he may have scored two tap-ins, but he started 2019 with a bang. Please keep starting him, Wilmer.

• Oscar Boniek Garcia: a pretty decent CDM?

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