Last season, Houston Dynamo winger Romell Quioto started his MLS career with a bang, scoring three goals in his first three games. This season, however, it was a goal- and assist-free start … until Saturday against Toronto FC.
The Honduran international nabbed two assists and added a late goal in the Dynamo’s 5-1 rout. Beyond the stats, the 26-year-old proved a nuisance on the left flank and gave Toronto fits all game long – the first time this season he's gone the full 90.
Quioto's season high had been 77 minutes the week prior, simply due to match fitness.
“I came [from the offseason] without game rhythm and spent three weeks with an illness [in preseason] and they had a lot of patience with me,” Quioto said. “I’m thankful to them for that and all that’s left is to keep working and keep showing why I’m here.”
Quioto added that he finally feels 100 percent physically, pointing to his performance against Toronto FC as evidence.
Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera echoed Quioto's comments.
“His moment arrived, and thankfully for him, he feels good [physically],” Cabrera said. “And he returns to being the Romell Quioto that everybody knows and that everybody expects.”
Alberth Elis knows Quioto well, as the two are mainstays with the Honduras national team, and believes Quioto to be crucial to both teams' success.
“We needed him back and we knew that we needed him since the beginning [of the season],” Elis said. “We know what he’s capable of and today he showed that. We know what kind of level he can reach.”
That Saturday's showing came against a Toronto FC side prioritizing Concacaf Champions League by fielding a reserve-heavy 18 is of no importance to Houston.
“I can’t say what would have happened had Toronto brought their usual starting XI,” Quioto said. “But independently of who was out there for Toronto FC, what was important for us was to get the three points.”
