The Houston Dynamo kicked off their 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign with a 5-0 victory over NTX Rayados, an adult amateur team from the Dallas area, Wednesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament consisting of teams from every level of American adult soccer, and Rayados advanced from local qualifying to the Fourth Round with four consecutive wins, becoming the final local qualifier remaining in the tournament.
With the win, Houston advances to face Minnesota United FC in the Round of 16 as determined by a random draw.
The Dynamo opened the scoring in the 55th minute when midfielder Luis Gil played a ball to defender Alejandro Fuenmayor outside the box. The young defender chipped a cross to the middle of the box finding midfielder Memo Rodriguez. The Houston native headed the ball to the ground and before connecting with his left foot and sending a low shot into the back of the net.
Forward Aldo Quintanilla, signed to a short-term loan from RGV FC for the game, extended the Dynamo lead on a breakaway in the 68th minute. Gil, once again pulling the strings, played a through ball from midfield behind the Rayados back line to Quintanilla. The forward outran NTX’s defense and connected with a right-footed shot and placed the ball the away from NTX goalkeeper Eduardo Cortés.
Three minutes later, Rodriguez was taken down inside the NTX penalty area trying to score, but was taken down by defender Jose Luis Burciaga. Rodriguez stepped to the spot and fired a right-footed shot to the top left-hand corner of the net to make it 3-0. Burciaga was sent off on the play after receiving his second yellow card, forcing the visitors to play a man down for the final 19 minutes.
Two late goals, from forward MatÃas ZaldÃvar in the 88th minute and a second from Quintanilla in the first minute of stoppage, capped the scoring.
The five-goal outburst in the second half followed an opening 45 minutes that featured scoring chances for both sides and several big saves from Cortés to keep the match level.
In the 14th minute, Rodriguez sent a cross from the left side to the back post. Forward Arturo Alvarez rose above the defense and connected on a header, redirecting it toward goal but sending it just over the crossbar. The hosts continued to press, and in the 18th minute Rodriguez found midfielder Todd Wharton, who fired a left-footed shot from 20 yards that was deflected by Cortés.
NTX Rayados also opportunities on the counter attack, but the Dynamo defense was able to rush them to shot. In the 23rd minute, forward Mohamed Sesay received a long pass and tried to outrun defender Conor Donovan, but as Donovan applied pressure, Sesay took a shot that was stopped by the Dynamo goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
The Dynamo will return to MLS competition on Saturday, June 9 at BBVA Compass Stadium when they host the Colorado Rapids at 8:00 p.m. CDT. Tickets may be purchased online at HoustonDynamo.com, by phone at 713-276-GOAL, or in person at the BBVA Compass Stadium Box Office, which is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CDT.
Houston Dynamo 5-0 NTX Rayados
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round
Wednesday, June 6, 2018 – BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, Texas
Attendance: 6,212
SCORING SUMMARY:
HOU: Memo Rodriguez 1 (unassisted) 55
HOU: Aldo Quintanilla 1 (Luis Gil 1) 68
HOU: Memo Rodriguez 2 (penalty kick) 71
HOU: MatÃas ZaldÃvar 1 (Arturo Alvarez 1) 88
HOU: Aldo Quintanilla 2 (Arturo Alvarez 2) 90+2
Houston Dynamo: Chris Seitz ©; Manny Padilla, Conor Donovan, Alejandro Fuenmayor (Philippe Senderos 61), Kevin Garcia; Eric Bird, Luis Gil (MatÃas ZaldÃvar 79), Todd Wharton; Arturo Alvarez, Aldo Quintanilla, Memo Rodriguez (John Montaño 82)
Unused subs: Michael Nelson, Jesus Enriquez, Omar Ontiveros
Total shots: 31 (Aldo Quintanilla 8); Shots on goal: 14 (Arturo Alvarez, Aldo Quintanilla, Memo Rodriguez, Todd Wharton 3); Fouls: 13 (Eric Bird 3); Offside: 5 (Aldo Quintanilla, Memo Rodriguez 2); Corner kicks: 9 (Arturo Alvarez 6); Saves: 3 (Chris Seitz 3)
NTX Rayados: Eduardo Cortés; Javan Goncalves, Kevin Ellis, Jose Luis Burciaga, Brandon Pfluger (Jose Hernandez 64); Mohamed Sesay, Lucio Martinez, Tito Salas © (Christian Okeke 53); Adrian Ramos, Victor Pinal, Alberto Rodriguez (Jose Escalera 81)
Unused subs: Emmanuel Frias, Christopher Quintanilla, Cedric Nickerson, Giovanni Montesdecoa
Total shots: 12 (Mohamed Sesay 4); Shots on goal: 3 (Mohamed Sesay 3); Fouls: 7 (Lucio Martinez 3); Offside: 0; Corner kicks: 6 (Victor Piñal 5); Saves: 9 (Eduardo Cortés 9)
DISCIPLINE:
NTX: Jose Burciaga (caution; foul) 9
HOU: Manny Padilla (caution; foul) 65
NTX: Jose Burciaga (caution; foul) 70
HOU: Philippe Senderos (caution; foul)
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referee 1: Francisco Bermudez
Assistant Referee 2: Diego Blas
Fourth Official: Chris Cruggs
