Minnesota United ended its six-game losing streak on Saturday night in Houston by extending its winless streak to eight games.
The Loons did it with a 1-1 draw in which All-Star Robin Lod broke a scoreless game in the 70th minute. Dynamo forward Carlos Ferreira scored the tying goal 12 minutes later.
Ferreira finished off a corner kick with a powerful left-footed strike that bounded through to him right at the 6-yard box — just three minutes after Houston had a tying goal ruled offside.
The Loons still haven’t won since June 1 against Sporting Kansas City.
The Dynamo had been unbeaten in five games at home, three of those draws, and have four draws in their last six home games.
Lod’s goal in the 70th minute gave the Loons a fleeting 1-0 lead in a game delayed by severe weather in a city ravaged by Hurricane Beryl this past week.
BOXSCORE: Minnesota United 1, Houston 1
The Loons have seven regulars missing because of international duty and injury, although reserves Carlos Harvey and Alejandro Bran returned from Copa América duty to starting roles.
But the Loons still play without starters Dayne St. Clair and Tani Oluwaseyi, both of whom remained with their Canadian national team. Both players started for the first time in the tournament in Saturday’s third-place game against Uruguay, which Canada lost 4-3 on penalty kicks after playing to a 2-2 draw. Oluwaseyi went 67 minutes before he was subbed out.
Both St. Clair and Oluwaseyi are expected back before Wednesday’s home game against D.C. United.
With backup keeper Clint Irwin out injured, second-team keeper Alec Smir started his third consecutive game Saturday.
Defensive midfielder Wil Trapp (leg), DJ Taylor (leg), Moses Nyeman (ankle) and rookie Hugo Bacharach (knee) are all injured as well.
With Taylor out, Loons coach Eric Ramsay moved striker Sang Bin Jeong to right-side wing back alongside the Harvey-Michael Boxall-Miguel Tapias three-man back line.
The start of the game was delayed by lightning for about 45 minutes. A moment of silence was observed before the opening kick for the flooding and damage done by Hurricane Beryl. Nearly three million residents were left without power in stifling heat during the days afterward.
The Loons had two scoring chances in the first four minutes, including striker Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s short-range shot that was stopped by Dynamo keeper Steve Clark.
The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.