Goal, assist by Elis lift Orange to 1st-place tie
Alberth Elis returned to the Dynamo starting lineup Saturday night and showed what can happen when he is in there.
Elis scored a goal in the first half and assisted on another in the second half as the Dynamo defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 3-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The Dynamo vault into a first-place tie in the Western Conference with Seattle Sounders FC and Sporting Kansas City. They also remain unbeaten at home with a 9-0-3 record, while extending their overall unbeaten streak to six.
Elis had gone nine games without starting because of injury and international duty. He appeared in the last two games before finally hitting the field for the opening whistle Saturday.
“The guys were focused,” coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “They played with tenacity. We came back to what the Houston Dynamo are — a team that goes forward, attacks, creates problems up front.”
Elis’ goal came in the 21st minute when he headed in a corner kick served by Boniek Garcia.
Garcia got the only assist, but Quioto and Juan David Cabezas did plenty of work on the previous play that led to the corner kick. Cabezas stepped in front of a San Jose pass and fed it forward to Quioto. Quioto created space near the top of the penalty area and ripped a shot toward the cross bar.
San Jose goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell had to punch it over the bar.
The goal was a highlight, but the first half was not perfect for Elis. In the 39th minute, he dribbled toward the top of the penalty area nearly at full speed. He touched the ball wide of the defender and then dove as the defender stuck out his leg.
Referee Ricardo Salazar penalized Elis for simulation and showed him a yellow card. Elis will miss the next match due to yellow card accumulation.
The game was tight until the late stages when Vicente Sanchez scored in the 86th minute and Mauro Manotas scored in the fourth minute of added time.
Saturday’s game also featured the debut of 22year old midfielder Tomas Martinez. The Dynamo signed the Argentinian to a Young Designated Player contract on July 17. He had been training with the team for three weeks.
He entered in the 62nd minute and played in an attacking role just behind striker Mauro Manotas.
“I liked his mentality,” Cabrera said. “I like the way he moves. He is all over the place. He wants the ball. He has personality.”
Erick Torres had a chance to make a headline of his own and give the Dynamo a pivotal second goal in the 50th minute, but he had a penalty kick saved by Tarbell.
It was Torres’ first miss in six attempts this year. Had he converted, he would have equaled Brian Ching’s club record of 13 goals in a season.