The tension was high inside BBVA Compass Stadium as the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas faced one another in the Texas Derby Saturday night.

“We knew it was going to be a very tough encounter, and we were going to have to be at our best,” Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle said. “We’re sure that we have quality and we’re sure that we can play at that level and cause the best teams trouble.”

Like any other rivalry game between the two cities, the match wound up being a physical one as both teams fought for bragging rights – especially Houston, who had lost to Dallas in their previous five meetings since their last win in 2012.

However, the past losses were not a concern for this current team.

“Leading up to this game, it wasn’t only a player’s mindset but a whole organization’s mindset that the past is the past,” Dynamo’s David Horst said. “This is a whole new team, new guys that are out there. We showed tonight that we’re fun to watch, and we’re going be tough going forward.”

To Horst’s account, the team proved to be different as it was Houston who drew first blood when Horst scored the first goal within the first six minutes of the match.

Unfortunately for Dallas, their dismay continued after Dallas’ Matt Hedges’ mistake cost them a score via own goal after trying to pass it to his goal keep at minute 13.

The Dynamo added two more goals for a stunning 4-0 lead against Dallas before the half, but not without casualties.

Captain Giles Barnes and midfielder, Cristian Maidana were taken out of the match due to injuries.

By the second half, the Dynamo expected a more aggressive Dallas team to step onto the field,

They thwarted any attempt of a comeback as Houston’s defense and goalkeeper Joe Willis kept them scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Houston ended up sealing the deal with a goal by Will Bruin with assistance from Leonel Miranda at the 85th minute for a 5-0 victory.

By acknowledging their efforts weren’t good enough after having failed to hold off the Rev’s last-minute, game-tying goal last weekend, the team was able to remain focused. By closing out tonight’s shutout, the team made amends for their previous defense performance Horst said.

“We have said from day one that we would be a very exciting team and a much disciplined team and we’ve showed both of those things tonight,” Coyle said.

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