Houston Dynamo FC earned their first victory of the season by a final score of 2-1 over the Vancouver Whitecaps. With the win, the Dynamo improved to 7-1-2 all-time against the Whitecaps at home and 1-1-1 on the young season.
After falling behind early, a pair of goals from midfielder Darwin Quintero lifted the Dynamo to their first win of the year. It was Quintero’s fourth brace in Major League Soccer and his first since August 25, 2020.
Houston’s first goal of the match came in the 33rd minute when midfielder Coco Carrasquilla struck a long diagonal ball deep into the 18-yard-box. Forward Corey Baird played the ball back across the front of goal with his first touch and connected with Quintero, who tapped the ball into the net for the first goal of the season for the Dynamo, tying the game 1-1.
Houston took the lead in the 50th minute with a wondergoal from Quintero. Forward* Sebastián Ferreira *received the ball at the top of the 18-yard-box. A Vancouver defender poked the ball away from the Dynamo striker, but it rolled into the path of Quintero, who took a strike from distance and found the top corner of the net to put the Dynamo up 2-1.
Vancouver scored the first goal of the match, as Cristian Dájome found Lucas Cavallini at the near post for a leaping volley to put the visitors ahead 1-0 in the 14th minute.
The Dynamo were on the front foot from the outset and generated two early scoring chances, beginning in the second minute when Ferreira found Quintero, who then passed the ball down the line to defender Griffin Dorsey. Dorsey crossed the ball into the box and narrowly missed the head of forward Fafa Picault. The ball then fell to the feet of Quintero, who ripped off a shot that forced the Vancouver keeper to make a diving save.
Houston nearly capitalized on another dangerous chance in the 18th minute, when Carrasquilla let loose a long pass into the box and found the head of defender Daniel Steres. Steres’ header went just wide and the scored stayed at 1-0.
The Dynamo nearly took the lead once again in the 21st minute, thanks to a solo effort by Quintero. The Colombian midfielder created space for himself at the top of the Vancouver 18-yard-box and got a dangerous shot off that forced the Vancouver keeper to make another diving save.
In the 69th minute, Quintero found Ferreira with a pass over his shoulder that left the Paraguayan forward in a dangerous attacking position with a chance to add to the lead. Ferreira created space in front of goal and got a shot off that went just wide of goal.
Midfielder Memo Rodriguez nearly scored a 90th minute free kick goal to put things on ice, but his shot was caromed off the crossbar and the score stayed at 2-1 through the final whistle.
