Houston Dynamo FC dropped a 3-1 result to league-leading Los Angeles Football Club Sunday night at Banc of California Stadium.
LAFC took the lead in the eighth minute after they were awarded a penalty kick for a foul on Dénis Bouanga inside the box. Carlos Vela converted the penalty kick for the first goal of the match.
Dynamo forward Corey Baird scored the equalizer for the Dynamo in the 24th minute following a cross from open play from midfielder Coco Carrasquilla. The Panamanian international played a long, diagonal ball into the box that found Baird in stride and the former LAFC forward brought down the ball with a deft touch and coolly beat the goalkeeper at the near post.
LAFC was awarded a second penalty kick in first half stoppage time after referee Kevin Stott consulted video assistant referee Jair Marrufo to confirm a handball inside the box. After video review, Stott pointed to the penalty spot and the penalty was converted by Vela.
LAFC added to their lead in the 52nd minute after the Dynamo backline blocked a shot from Bouanga. The ball fell to Ryan Hollingshead, who created space for a shot that beat Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark at the far post.
Clark made back-to-back saves in the 78th minute to keep Houston in the game as the attack was trying to cut into LAFC’s lead. An LAFC attacker got behind the back line and was in alone on Clark, but the Dynamo shot stopper made himself large, blocking the shot for the save. Clark finished with four saves for the night.
Carrasquilla was key on both ends of the ball and won possession five times in the first half alone. The 23-year-old finished with a chance created and nine recoveries.
The Dynamo knocked on the door in the 19th minute off a corner kick from forward Darwin Quintero that caused a scramble inside the box, but the ball was eventually cleared by the LAFC backline.
Houston pushed for their second goal moments after scoring the equalizer off a cross from Griffin Dorsey. The outside back found Sebas Ferreira inside the box, but his header bounced off the crossbar in the 28th minute.
Houston’s first opportunity of the second half came off a corner kick in the 47th minute that fell to midfielder Matias Vera outside the box, but his first-time shot just missed the inside of the far post.
The Dynamo return to league play on Sunday, Oct. 2 at GEODIS Park against Nashville SC. The team returns to PNC Stadium on Oct. 9 to host the LA Galaxy for the season finale.
