The Houston Dynamo improved to 2-0-0 with a 3-1 victory over Columbus Crew SC at BBVA Compass Stadium this evening. This is the third time in club history that the team wins its first two games of the year.
Forward Romell Quioto scored in his fourth consecutive contest for the club after he intercepted a pass from goalkeeper Zack Steffen outside the box in the second minute. The Honduran beat Steffen with a low shot near the penalty spot for this second goal of the season. Quioto became the first Dynamo player without previous MLS experience to score in his first two games with the club.
Midfielder Alex tallied his first assist of the night in the 35th minute off a corner kick that found forward Alberth Elis inside the six-yard box. Elis beat Steffen with a side volley for his first goal of the season.
Alex’s second assist of the game came in the 65th minute when his long cross found forward Erick Torres outside the box. Torres curled a shot past Steffen inside the far post for his second goal of the season. This was the first time Torres scored in back-to-back games since 2014.
The final goal of the game came in stoppage time as forward Ola Kamara connected with a short cross from Justin Meram for his first goal of the season.
Columbus’ most dangerous spell of the game began in the 28th minute as they forced back-to-back saves from goalkeeper Tyler Deric. Midfielder Federico HiguaÃn was one-on-one with Deric inside the box, but the goalie got his left foot on the ball to concede a corner kick. Minutes later midfielder Ethan Finlay sent a cross that found forward Kamara, but his close-range header was saved at the near post.
Elis flirted with a second goal in the 56th minute, when a flicked header from Torres found the unmarked forward and put him through on goal, but Steffen snuffed out the danger.
The Dynamo continue the 2017 season, presented by 76, on Saturday, March 18 at 9:30 p.m. CST against the Portland Timbers at Providence Park and return to BBVA Compass Stadium on April 1 as they host the New York Red Bulls.
Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew SC
March 11, 2017 – Houston, Texas, BBVA Compass Stadium
Attendance: 16,486
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Romell Quioto 2 (unassisted) 2
HOU: Alberth Elis 1 (Alex 2) 35
HOU: Erick Torres 2 (Alex 3) 65
CLB: Kamara 1 (Justin Meram 2, Jukka Raitala 1)
Houston Dynamo: Tyler Deric; A.J. DeLaGarza, Adolfo Machado, Leonardo, Dylan Remick; Ricardo Clark©, Eric Alexander (Juan David Cabezas 70), Alex; Alberth Elis (Andrew Wenger 75), Erick Torres (Mauro Manotas 81), Romell Quito
Unused Substitutes: Vicente Sánchez, Calle Brown, Boniek GarcÃa, Jalil Anibaba
Total shots: 7 (Ricardo Clark,Romell Quioto 2); Shots on goal: 4 (Ricardo Clark, Albert Elis, Erick Torre, Romell Quioto); Fouls: 12 (Albert Elis 3); Offside: 2 (Alberth Elis, Erick Torres 1); Corner kicks: 2 (Alex); Saves: 3
Columbus Crew SC: Zack Steffen; Harrison Afful (Connor Maloney 46), Jonathan Mensah, Nicolai Naess, Jukka Raitala; Wil Trapp © (Adam Jahn 65), Artur (Mohammed Abu 58); Ethan Finlay, Federico HiguaÃn, Justin Meram; Ola Kamara
Unused Substitutes: Lalas Abubakar, Brad Stuver, Héctor Jiménez, Niko Hansen
Total shots: 14 (Ola Kamara 4); Shots on goal: 5 (Ola Kamara 2); Fouls: 7 (Jukka Raitala, Artur 2); Offside: 5 (Ola Kamara 2); Corner kicks: 5 (Ethan Finley 5); Saves: 1
Discipline:
CLB: Ethan Finlay caution (dissent) 59
HOU: Alberth Elis caution (unsporting behavior) 68
CLB: Jukka Raitala caution (unsporting behavior) 72
CLB: Jonathan Mensah ejection (violent conduct) 87
Officials:
Referee: Chris Penso
Assistant Referee 1: Adam Garner
Assistant Referee 2: Nick Uranga
Fourth Official: Daniel Radford
