Dynamo must improve to entice Messi fans to return

HOUSTON – Lionel Messi’s absence was difficult to ignore Sunday night at Shell Energy Stadium. The Argentine superstar’s presence was everywhere, yet he was nowhere to be seen against the Dynamo.

Messi was almost 1,000 miles away back in South Florida while his Inter Miami teammates dismantled the Houston Dynamo 4-1. Considering he’s 37 years old, it seemed obvious that Messi would be given Sunday off during a period of three games in eight days.

Yet, fans still paid up to $2,000 for tickets in hopes of seeing Messi. It’s difficult to believe that Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano and Messi didn’t know he would miss Sunday’s game by Tuesday or Wednesday of last week. It was a smart and prudent move, after all. Houston soccer fans didn’t learn the news until Saturday, though, when word leaked that Messi didn’t fly with the team to Houston.

By then, thousands of fans had paid in excess of $300 per ticket. Many paid more than $1,000 per ticket. By withholding the information all week, Inter Miami helped the Dynamo at the gate.

The Dynamo drew a sellout crowd of 20,810. It was the team’s best crowd for an MLS game in more than a year. Despite the presence of Mexican national team star Hector Herrera, the Dynamo had the second worst attendance average in MLS last year at 16,897, and the worst in 2023 at 16,426.

The Dynamo has struggled to recapture the fan interest they had when legendary coach Dominic Kinnear was guiding the team to the playoffs and MLS Cup finals consistently more than a decade ago. 

Wasted opportunity

That’s why Sunday’s game was so important for the Dynamo. Some fans rightfully felt suckered by the Messi news. The decision looked worse because a healthy Messi didn’t even travel to Houston. 

Considering the ridiculous high ticket prices to see Messi, it would have been considerate for Messi to at least attend the game and sign some autographs. You couldn’t look anywhere in the crowd without seeing a Messi jersey.

Wherever you looked, you could find a replica Argentina No. 10 jersey, a No. 10 FC Barcelona or a No. 10 Inter Miami jersey. To be clear, the sellout crowd was definitely partisan in favor of the Dynamo. That much was clear walking into the stadium. The point was driven home when Uruguayan superstar Luis Suarez was booed loudly in the first half.

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Suarez tried to bait the ref into a foul call, inciting the Dynamo crowd. Unfortunately for the Dynamo, they didn’t give their fans much to cheer.

A porous defense sabotaged the Dynamo for the second game in a row. Suarez retrieved the ball inside the 18-yard box and passed to Telasco Segovia, who slotted it into the bottom right corner to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute.

Defensive lapses

Tadeo Allende made it 2-0 in the 37th minute. Segovia then made it 3-0 in stoppage time shortly before halftime. The game might as well have been over by then. Suarez made it 4-0 in the 79th minute. Nico Lodeiro rewarded the Dynamo fans who stuck around with a goal in the 85th minute. That wasn’t nearly enough.

Messi’s scheduled visit was an opportunity for the Dynamo to entice fans who otherwise wouldn’t attend their games. Even without Messi, Inter Miami had more than enough talent to rout the Dynamo.

The atmosphere was phenomenal. Dynamo fans created a vibrant environment, which should be enticing for any sports fan. The Dynamo must play better, though, to entice skeptical soccer fans who show up only when aging international superstars are on the schedule.  

The Dynamo’s problems might not be fixable this season, though. The defense may be the worst in team history. Houston is one of the greatest soccer cities in North America. Now, the Dynamo must play better to bring those fans back to Shell Energy Stadium without Messi as a draw.