Houston Dynamo FC defeated the Colorado Rapids 5-1 at Shell Energy Stadium tonight to improve the team’s home record to 15-3-5 (WLD) in all competitions this season. Houston is now guaranteed to host an Audi MLS Cup Playoff match and tickets are available HERE.
Houston will finish the night as high as fourth in the Western Conference standings and boast a 7-1-4 (WLD) record in all competitions since returning to MLS play after Leagues Cup on Aug. 20, while outscoring opponents 27-8 during that stretch.
Houston took the lead in the third minute after defender Erik Sviatchenko and captain Héctor Herrera connected on a one-two sequence at the edge of the box. The ball was played wide to defender Griffin Dorsey who found forward Nelson Quiñónes unmarked at the far post for his fourth goal of the year.
The Dynamo doubled their lead five minutes after midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla played a ball over the top to Corey Baird. The forward found fellow attacker Amine Bassi at the opposite post for the second goal of the first half and Bassi’s team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Quiñónestallied his second goal of the evening in the 28th minute with a long-range effort from outside the box, completing the 21-year-old’s first brace for the Dynamo.
Baird tallied the fourth goal of the evening in the 41st minute following a counterattack led by Carrasquilla. The Panamanian international played the ball wide to Baird for his eighth goal of the season, tying his single-season goal mark from his 2018 rookie season with Real Salt Lakt.
Tonight marked the second game this season where Houston has scored four goals in a half (Aug. 20 vs. Portland in the first half).
The Rapids prevented a clean sheet in the 53rd minute after Connor Roan found Cole Bassett at the far post.
Houston netted a fifth goal in the 84th minute after Bassi found midfielder Artur with a chip at the back post. The Brazilian buried the ball into the far corner to score in back-to-back matches and net his second goal of the season.
Houston’s first opportunity of the night came off Baird’s right foot in the second minute when he forced a save at the near post.
Quiñónesforced a save moments after scoring his first goal. The ball was initially saved by goalkeeper Marko Ilic, but he had to swiftly recover to beat Bassi to the rebound inside the six-yard box.
Colorado’s first shot of the match came in the 25th minute off a volley from Andrew Gutman that went wide of the far post.
After the October FIFA window, the Dynamo close out the regular season in the Pacific Northwest, traveling to face the Portland Timbers on Saturday, Oct. 21.
