HOUSTON (March 6, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC fell 1-0 to the Columbus Crew at Shell Energy Stadium tonight in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the Concacaf Champions Cup. The defending MLS Cup champions found the back of the net in the 96th minute to take an away goal into the second leg.
Columbus hosts the second leg on Tuesday, March 12, with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m. CT. The aggregate score over the two legs will determine the team that advances to the Quarterfinals, and the greater number of away goals scored serves as the first tiebreaker. If still tied, two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played, followed by penalty shootout if tied after extra time.
The Crew’s match-winner deep into stoppage time came from a Columbus set piece when Aidan Morris played the ball short to Alexandru Matan into the left side of the penalty box, and the midfielder slotted the ball low inside the far post.
Houston’s first opportunity of the game came in the 12th minute after forward Amine Bassi switched the ball and found defender Griffin Dorsey. The outside back played a cross into the box that just missed forward Gabe Segal in front of goal.
Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark was called into action in the 16th minute after he got a fingertip on Sean Zawadzki’s shot at the near post. The Dynamo goalkeeper finished with five saves against the Crew, his former club who he took to the 2015 MLS Cup Final.
Columbus almost opened scoring in the 19th minute when Jacen Russell-Rowe hit the left post. Defender Erik Sviatchekno managed to clear the danger on the rebound.
In the 24th minute, midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla found Dorsey running up the right wing, who whipped the ball into the box. Forward Aliyu Ibrahim almost beat Patrick Schulte to the ball, but the goalkeeper managed to quell the danger.
Carrasquilla played a ball into the box that found Segal at the near post in the 34th minute, but Schulte was well positioned to save the shot.
Dorsey forced a save in the 43rd minute after the 25-year-old created space for a shot that was saved by an oncoming Schulte. Moments later Bassi forced a save at the far post.
Houston nearly scored the opener in the 59th minute after defender Franco Escobar brought a ball down into the path of defender Ethan Bartlow. The center back found the bottom corner of the far post, but his effort was ruled offside due to Escobar’s positioning prior to Artur’s pass. The play was reviewed and confirmed by video assistant referee Oscar Mejia.
Columbus thought they had opened scoring in the 74th minute when Christian Ramirez’s low shot from the middle of the box found the back of the net off the right post. However, a second goal was ruled offside after further review by video assistant referee Oscar Mejia.
Following the second leg in Columbus next week, Houston resumes league play at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, March 16, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets for that match are available HERE.
