Aliyu Strike Edges 10-Man San Diego as Houston Dynamo Claim Narrow MLS Win

Houston Dynamo secured a hard-fought 1–0 win over San Diego FC in MLS regular-season action on matchday 9, with Ibrahim Aliyu’s first-half finish proving decisive.

The breakthrough arrived in the 35th minute. Aliyu struck for the hosts after being set up by Ondřej Lingr, whose assist created the only goal of the game. The Nigerian forward’s effort put Houston in front, and they never relinquished the lead.

MLS

Thu, Apr 23, 2026 00:30

Houston Dynamo

1-0

San Diego

FT

The match had an edge from early on. Houston midfielder Felipe picked up a yellow card in the 14th minute, while San Diego’s Aníbal Godoy entered the referee’s book in the 38th minute as both midfields contested every challenge.

Both coaches turned to their benches just after the hour mark. Houston introduced Ezequiel Ponce and Artur on 66 minutes, while San Diego responded with Marcus Ingvartsen and Amahl Pellegrino, seeking more attacking impetus. Later changes included the arrivals of Lawrence Ennali and Héctor Herrera for the hosts and David Vazquez and Ian Pilcher for the visitors.

The tension escalated late on. San Diego were reduced to 10 men in the 79th minute when Pellegrino was shown a red card. One minute later, Mikey Varas – also listed among San Diego’s booked players – received a yellow card. Deep into the closing stages, Pilcher and Houston’s Franco Negri saw yellow cards in the 90th minute, before Lingr’s night ended with a red card in the same minute, leaving both teams down a player.

Despite San Diego’s late push and the flurry of cards, Houston held firm to protect Aliyu’s opener and claim all three points.

More detailed data on shots, possession, and other match events was not available at the time of writing. For further information, visit the full match page on Ballaxy: Houston Dynamo vs San Diego FC.

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