Dynamo defeat Orlando City in shutout victory

Hector Herrera's late goal lifts Houston to 1-0 win over struggling Orlando

Apr. 19, 2026 at 7:35am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a soccer match, with players and the field broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes of color, capturing the dynamic action and tension of the game.A cubist interpretation of the intense battle between the Houston Dynamo and Orlando City SC, with the Dynamo's late goal proving the decisive moment.Houston Today

Hector Herrera's goal in the 75th minute broke a scoreless tie and lifted the Houston Dynamo to a 1-0 victory over host Orlando City SC on Saturday night. The win snapped a three-match losing streak for Houston in MLS play and was their first shutout victory since September 2025. Orlando City remained winless in its past four league games and has scored only one goal over that span.

Why it matters

The victory was crucial for the Dynamo as they try to avoid falling out of playoff contention early in the season. Orlando City, on the other hand, continues to struggle and has been shut out four times already this year.

The details

Herrera's first goal of the season came after a shot by Ezequiel Ponce was blocked by Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau. The scoring chance was created by a great advance downfield by Lawrence Ennali, who split Orlando's defenders and put a close-range shot on goal that Crepeau also deflected. Dynamo goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer entered the game after halftime and made a huge save in the second half to preserve the shutout.

  • The game was played on Saturday night, April 19, 2026.
  • Herrera's game-winning goal came in the 75th minute.

The players

Hector Herrera

A midfielder for the Houston Dynamo who scored the game-winning goal in the 75th minute.

Ezequiel Ponce

A forward for the Houston Dynamo whose shot was blocked, leading to Herrera's goal.

Lawrence Ennali

A midfielder for the Houston Dynamo who created the scoring chance with a great advance downfield.

Jimmy Maurer

The Dynamo's goalkeeper who entered the game in the second half and made a crucial save to preserve the shutout.

Maxime Crepeau

The goalkeeper for Orlando City SC who made four saves in the game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must continue to grind out results like this if we want to stay in the playoff hunt.”

— Hector Herrera, Dynamo Midfielder

What’s next

The Dynamo will look to build on this victory when they host the Seattle Sounders on April 26th. Orlando City, meanwhile, will try to snap their winless streak when they travel to face the New York Red Bulls on April 23rd.

The takeaway

This hard-fought victory on the road keeps the Dynamo in the playoff picture, while Orlando City's struggles continue as they search for their first win in over a month. The Dynamo's defensive effort and Herrera's late heroics proved to be the difference in this match.