The Houston Dynamo scored four consecutive goals, two each from forwards Romell Quioto and Mauro Manotas, to rally from an early 1-0 deficit to defeat Sporting Kansas City 4-2 Wednesday night in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
With the win, the Dynamo advance the semifinals of the annual knockout tournament for the third time in club history and first time since 2009, and will face LAFC. The date, time and location of that match will be announced in the coming days.
Sporting jumped out to an early lead less than two minutes in when midfielder Gerso Fernandes won the ball from Dynamo midfielder Boniek GarcÃa near midfield and sprung forward Johnny Russell down the right flank. Russell outraced the Dynamo defense and slipped a ball under Houston goalkeeper Chris Seitz. The Dynamo protested, shouting for a foul on Fernandes, but to no avail.
Slightly over 30 minutes after Sporting’s goal, the Dynamo evened things up off of a free kick at the edge of the Kansas City penalty area. Midfielder Darwin Cerén was fouled as he attempted to control a pass in the 34th minute. Forward Romell Quioto stood over the free kick and confidently fired an inch-perfect shot over the wall and inside the top left corner of the goal.
Just after the hour mark, the Dynamo took the lead on Quioto’s second goal of the night. Cerén played a long pass to Quioto behind the Sporting back line, and the Honduran international outran the defense and chested the ball down before placing a right-footed shot past Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia and into the net.
Forward Mauro Manotas extended the lead just three minutes later, in the 69th. Forward Alberth Elis played a through ball to Manotas, who found himself in a one-on-one situation with Melia. The Colombian’s initial shot was saved, but he was first to the rebound and quickly turned and put a left-footed shot into the back of the net.
Manotas made it four late on, finishing a beautiful team buildup. Elis deftly settled a high ball with the outside of his foot, and in one motion played it to midfielder Memo Rodriguez on the right wing. The Houston native drove down the flank and curled a perfectly placed cross into the path of Manotas, who flicked a headed shot over Melia and into the net.
Sporting pulled a goal back in stoppage time when Russell found forward Yohan Croizet in the penalty area, where he got a toe to the ball and lifted it over Seitz for the final score.
Houston Dynamo 4-2 Sporting Kansas City
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals
Wednesday, July 18, 2018 – BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, Texas
Attendance: 6,431
SCORING SUMMARY:
SKC: Johnny Russell 2 (Gerson Fernandes 2) 2
HOU: Romell Quioto 1 (unassisted) 34
HOU: Romell Quioto 2 (Darwin Cerén 1) 66
HOU: Mauro Manotas 2 (unassisted) 69
HOU: Mauro Manotas 3 (Memo Rodriguez 1) 88
SKC: Yohan Croizet 2 (Johnny Russell 2) 90+3
LINEUPS:
Houston Dynamo: Chris Seitz; Adolfo Machado, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Philippe Senderos (Leonardo 68), DaMarcus Beasley (C); Boniek GarcÃa (Eric Alexander 76), Tomás MartÃnez, Darwin Cerén; Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas, Romell Quioto (Memo Rodriguez 73)
Unused subs: Joe Willis, Kevin Garcia, Luis Gil, Jared Watts
Total shots: 24 (Mauro Manotas 6); Shots on goal: 11 (Mauro Manotas 5); Fouls: 10 (DaMarcus Beasley, Boniek GarcÃa 2); Offside: 3 (Tomás MartÃnez 2); Corner kicks: 9 (Boniek GarcÃa 5); Saves: 4 (Chris Seitz 4)
Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Graham Zusi, Graham Smith, Emiliano Amor, Seth Sinovic (Jaylin Lindsey 65); Ilie Sánchez, Roger Espinoza (C); Johnny Russell, Diego Rubio (Felipe Gutiérrez 71), Gerso Fernandes (Yohan Croizet 71); Dà niel Sallói
Unused subs: Erick Dick, Gianluca Busio, Brad Evans, Wan Kuzain
Total shots: 14 (Daniel Salloi 4); Shots on goal: 7 (Yohan Croizet 2); Fouls: 7 (Roger Espinoza, Diego Rubio 3); Offside: 4 (Daniel Salloi 3); Corner kicks: 5 (Johnny Russell 4); Saves: 7 (Tim Melia 7)
DISCIPLINE:
HOU: Romell Quioto (caution; time wasting) 26
HOU: Boniek GarcÃa (caution; persistent infringement) 45
HOU: Alejandro Fuenmayor (caution; foul) 79
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistant Referee 1: Adam Garner
Assistant Referee 2: Jeremy Weed
Fourth Official: Rosendo Mendoza
