The Houston Dynamo sent the 22,320 fans in attendance at BBVA Compass Stadium home with a thrill thanks to midfielder Memo Rodriguez’s game-winning goal in the 90th minute to cap a 3-2 win over the LA Galaxy.
The Dynamo appeared to be in control of the game after scoring early in each half, only for the Galaxy to equalize late in each period. The match looked destined to end in a 2-2 draw until the 5’8” Rodriguez rose up above the Galaxy defense and headed a loose ball back across the face of goal and past Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham for the winner.
The Dynamo came out firing early, with a goal from defender Alejandro Fuenmayor in the third minute. Forward Romell Quioto stepped up from 20 yards out and delivered a free kick to the right side of the box, where Fuenmayor slipped behind the Galaxy defense and placed a left-footed volley past Bingham and into the bottom left corner of the net. Assistant referee Danny Thornberry raised his flag, ruling Fuenmayor offside, but referee Alan Kelly called it a good goal after video review.
The Galaxy fought back and tied the score minutes before halftime. In the 39th minute, forward Ola Kamara started a counter attack near midfield and played the ball the ball to forward Zlatan Ibrahimović. The Swedish international took a shot from the right side of the Dynamo penalty area that was saved by Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis, but Galaxy midfielder Giovani dos Santos found the deflection and tapped the ball to the back of the net.
Much like the beginning of the game, the Dynamo opened the second half with a bang. In the 47th minute, Houston won a free kick on the left side of the penalty area. It was Quioto again who stood over the ball. This time the Honduran international went the direct route, firing a low curling shot that slipped through the Galaxy defense before beating Bingham to his far post.
And again like the first half, LA equalized late on, this time through Kamara. The Norwegian forward outran his mark to get on the end of a cross from dos Santos, flicking the ball past Willis at the back post in the 85th minute.
The Houston Dynamo will travel to BC Place on Saturday, May 11 to face the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 9:30 p.m. CDT.
Houston Dynamo (3-3-2; 11 pts.) 3-2 LA Galaxy (3-5-1; 10 pts.)
MLS Regular Season Week 10
May 5, 2018 – BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, Texas
Attendance: 22,320
SCORING SUMMARY:
HOU: Alejandro Fuenmayor 1 (Romell Quioto 4) 3
LA: Giovani dos Santos 2 (unassisted) 39
HOU: Romell Quioto 2 (unassisted) 47
LA: Ola Kamara 3 (Giovani dos Santos 1) 85
HOU: Memo Rodriguez 1 (unassisted) 90
LINEUPS:
Houston Dynamo: Joe Willis; Andrew Wenger, Adolfo Machado, Alejandro Fuenmayor, DaMarcus Beasley ©; Eric Alexander (Memo Rodriguez 84), Tomás Martínez, Darwin Cerén; Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas (Boniek García 68), Romell Quioto
Unused subs: Chris Seitz, Luis Gil, Mac Steeves, Arturo Alvarez
Total shots: 16 (Romell Quioto 7); Shots on goal: 9 (Romell Quioto 3); Fouls: 2 (Alejandro Fuenmayor 2);Offside: 1 (Mauro Manotas 1); Corner kicks: 1 (Memo Rodriguez 1); Saves: 2 (Joe Willis 2)
LA Galaxy: David Bingham; Dave Romney, Michael Ciani (Chris Pontius 84), Jørgen Skjelvik, Ashley Cole (C); Perry Kitchen, Sebastian Lletget (Emmanuel Boateng 75); Romain Alessandrini (Jonathan dos Santos 64), Giovani dos Santos, Ola Kamara; Zlatan Ibrahimović
Unused subs: Servando Carrasco, Justin vom Steeg, Daniel Steres, Emrah Klimenta
Total shots: 10 (Giovani dos Santos, Zlatan Ibrahimović 3); Shots on goal: 4 (Giovani dos Santos 2); Fouls: 11 (Ashley Cole, Michael Ciani 3); Offside: 3 (Ola Kamara 2); Corner kicks: 3 (Giovani dos Santos 2); Saves: 6 (David Bingham 6)
DISCIPLINE:
LA: Perry Kitchen (caution; foul) 20
LA: Michael Ciani (caution; foul) 34
LA: Ashley Cole (caution; foul) 36
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Alan Kelly
Assistant Referee 1: Jeremy Hanson
Assistant Referee 2: Danny Thornberry
Fourth Official: Ismail Elfath
VAR: Alex Chilowicz
