Figueroa’s goal caps 2nd-half rally
The Dynamo sold 2,046 tickets to their first home game open to fans since February at BBVA Stadium on Saturday.
To their initial disappointment, the Dynamo (33-6, 15 points) fell behind early but rebounded for a 2-2 draw against Minnesota United (5-4-3, 18 points) to begin the second phase of their return-to-play schedule.
“I think it says a lot,” head coach Tab Ramos said of his team, which overcame a two-goal halftime deficit. “I know that at the beginning of the year one of our bigger challenges was the way we put our heads down every time we gave up a goal and it was the end of the world. I don’t think we’re that team anymore.”
Minnesota midfielder Kevin Molino invited boos in the 11th minute when he charged into the area and slipped a shot past a splitting Marko Maric for the goahead goal before Matias Vera could slide into his path. Defender Romain Metanire captured possession near midfield to initiate a counterattack, which Jan Gregus facilitated before assisting Molino’s goal.
Dynamo midfielder Memo Rodriguez gave Houston a chance to equalize five minutes later when he drew a foul along the end line inside the area — defender Michael Boxall conceded the foul. Forward Darwin Quintero stepped up for the penalty kick, but it was saved by goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
Houston had opportunities to draw even throughout the half but failed to produce.
Instead, Minnesota produced another score about a minute into first-half stoppage time.
Maric made the initial save after a threatening Minnesota attack. But midfielder Robin Lod followed with a close-range shot that was too strong and carried Maric across the line as he corralled the ball.
“Overall, I think the team worked hard, created a lot of chances. We were down 2-0 at half, but really we should’ve been up,” Ramos said. “It was kind of surprising to be down in a game in which we — obviously the penalty is won — but we created many other chances to be ahead in the game, so at halftime I felt there wasn’t a lot to change.”
On his 33rd birthday, Quintero took charge in the second half. In the 47th minute, he darted through Minnesota’s backline but couldn’t score on two closerange shots.
In the 58th minute, Dynamo defender Zarek Valentin chipped a promising ball into the area towards Mauro Manotas. Manotas jumped for the header, but St. Clair arrived to punch the ball toward the edge of the area, where Quintero popped a gorgeous chip shot that floated into the net to halve the lead.
Almost 10 minutes later, in the 69th minute, Houston tied the game when, following a stretching St. Clair save on a short-range Quintero free kick, defender Maynor Figueroa launched into a game-tying header. The goal was Figueroa’s first MLS score with the Dynamo.
Houston is the first team to collect a point against Minnesota after trailing by at least two goals, according to Opta Sports.
“I felt there wasn’t a lot to change,” Ramos said of his team’s first-half performance. “The guys kept going and you gotta give them credit. It’s not easy.”