Houston Lions keep finding a way, and their number 10 is finishing the job

Houston Lions are back to where they want to be, sitting first in Division One after eight matches, and the path they’ve taken matters just as much as the points. The numbers from the league sheet show a team that’s built to win in different ways: 17 points, 25 goals scored, only 13 allowed, and a goal difference of plus 12. It’s the most complete profile in the league right now.

What makes it feel real is the split between home and away. Houston Lions have been perfect at home. Five home matches, five wins. On the road, they’ve had to grind, two draws and one loss, which tells you something important: when they control the environment, they overwhelm teams, and when they don’t, they still find points often enough to stay on top.

That balance is exactly why the last two games have felt like a shift in the title race.

On Matchday 7, Houston Lions handled Vinotinto HTX 2 to 0, a disciplined win against one of the league’s toughest defensive teams. On Matchday 8, they beat Real Houston FC 2 to 1, the kind of match where momentum swings can punish even the best sides. Two wins, six points, and suddenly Houston Lions weren’t just staying in the race, they were back in first place.

The detail that ties it together is the same one you’ve been seeing on the field: their number 10 has stepped into the biggest moments. In both of those last two matches, he delivered key goals that killed doubt, sealed control, and made sure the Lions walked away with all three points. In a tight title race, that’s what separates “top team” from “champion potential.” Somebody has to turn pressure into points.

This is also not a team living off one scorer. The player stats show real depth and multiple ways to hurt opponents. Nathan Karmbor has five goals. Bringsluck Nche has five goals. Raheem Ishola has three. Rashidi Buele and Bangalee Sesay have chipped in with two each. Austin Ledford and Albright Suh have added goals from deeper areas.

Then there’s the chance creation, which explains why their scoring has been so consistent. Albright Suh leads the team with four assists. Sesay, Cyrus Harmon, and Rashidi Buele each have two assists, and the rest is spread across contributors like Karmbor, Ledford, Flores, and Brandon Martinez. When a team is getting goals and assists from this many different players, it becomes harder to defend, and it also becomes harder to derail with one bad performance.

The league table around them makes it even more interesting. Ghosttown Saints are right behind on 16 points, and AC Juniors and Houston FC are sitting on 15. Every weekend is putting pressure on the top, and one slip can flip the order immediately. Houston Lions responding with two straight wins, while getting decisive moments from their number 10, is exactly what first place teams do when the race tightens.

Houston Lions are not perfect, but they are consistent, they are ruthless at home, and they have match winners who show up when the game is still in the balance. That’s why they’re back in first, and why everybody else in Division One is still chasing them.