Erick Torres’ first goal for the Houston Dynamo was a long time coming. On opening night, it was the first piece of business taken care of.
“It was very important for me to be able to score,” the 24-year-old forward said after Saturday’s match. “I knew that the fans are expecting things from me; that’s just a reality. The front office and the owners of this club are expecting many things from me as well.”
The big moment came in the 20th minute against Seattle Sounders FC, on a free kick opportunity awarded after the Dynamo’s No. 9 was fouled by Sounders defender Román Torres. “Cubo” took the initiative to ask for the ball and proceeded to score the first goal of the 2017 season for the Dynamo.
“I think if you’re a Houston Dynamo fan, you felt relief that Erick scored a goal,” head coach Wilmer Cabrera said in his postmatch press conference. “It’s good for everyone, because it’s been – I don’t know how long – two years and he hasn’t scored for us. Now, in this first game, he scores. It’s positive. He works hard, he played 90 minutes. It’s going to give him confidence and everyone around him.”
Torres was signed by the Dynamo as a Designated Player ahead of the 2015 season. His breakout season in 2014 – 15 goals in 29 matches – immediately had fans in Houston excited about what could be if Torres could replicate the form that made him an MLS All-Star and earned him call-ups to the Mexico men’s national team.
After his arrival to Houston, Torres was only able to generate one assist in 11 matches in 2015 before repeating those numbers in 2016. Now, over two years since his signing was announced, Torres has finally found the back of the net for the Dynamo.
“It makes me feel like we got a new player. I’m so happy for him,” defender DaMarcus Beasleysaid. “He’s been putting in the work this offseason and it paid off. He has a good mentality this year; he’s been playing with confidence, if he keeps it up then there’s many more to come.”
The long-awaited goal was Torres’ 23rd in his MLS career, the most in the league by a Mexican-born player. He didn’t get there by chance and the Dynamo striker intends to add to his tally this season, now that the first is finally out of the way.
“I take everything as it comes, I trust my qualities, I know what I am capable of doing,” added Torres. “Now that I was able to score, I feel much better, I feel much more confident to keep working during the week and go for all other ones that will come this season.”
