Manotas breaks through with hat trick
Forward leads team to its first win streak of year
Dynamo fans have been bracing for a breakout from Mauro Manotas throughout the second half of the season. They finally got it on Saturday night.
Manotas scored the sixth hat trick in club history to lead the Dynamo to a 3-1 victory over the Portland Timbers at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The 21-year old Colombian forward had one goal in his MLS career before this weekend. Saturday was his sixth start since mid-August.
“I am very happy to be on that (hat trick) list,” Manotas said. “I have a goal scorer’s mentality, so I want to be on that kind of list.”
The result gives the Dynam (7-11-11) back-to-back victories for the first time this season. The Dynamo are 3-1-3 in their last seven games. The result also leaves Portland (11-12-8) as the league’s only winless road team.
Manotas’ second goal broke a 1-1 tie in the 73rd minute. Boniek Garcia dribbled into the penalty area and squared a pass to Manotas, who finished with his left foot just inside the near post. That gave Garcia his ninth as- sist this season. He is the only Dynamo player other than Brad Davis to have more than seven in one season.
Manotas scored again in the 85th minute when Cristian Maidana played him in behind the defense. Manotas had oceans of space dribbling into the penalty area to seal the game.
The hat trick is the first for a Dynamo player since Will Bruin on April 29, 2011.
Manotas’ second and third goals came after the Dynamo bounced back nicely from the equalizer in the 51st minute.
Portland controlled the first 15 minutes. The Timbers’ dominance only resulted in one dangerous shot. It came in the seven minute, when Steven Taylor hit a weak header from close range on a corner kick. Goalkeeper Joe Willis easily handled it on a bounce.
The Dynamo finally took advantage in the 34th minute. Manotas ran onto a ball on the left side and crossed it to the center of the net. The pass deflected away from the goal. Collen Warner ran onto it 15 yards from the net and shot it on his first touch. Portland defender Liam Ridgewell dropped and stuck out his arm to block it, giving the Dynamo their first penalty kick of the season. Manotas hit the shot to the low right corner as goalkeeper Jake Gleeson dove the opposite way.
In the 51st minute, Portland midfielder Darlington Nagbe played Darren Mattocks into the right side of the penalty area. Mattocks shot off the far post. The rebound fell directly to Diego Valeri’s feet. Valeri hit a first-time shot into the empty net.