Tourney title quest gives Dynamo added impetus
Every day that Maura Manotas plays soccer is special.
But it’s a little extra so when he plays in a U.S. Open Cup match.
On Wednesday, the 23-year old forward will play in the Dynamo’s next one — the semifinals of the tournament against Los Angeles FC at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The U.S. Open Cup has a lot of meaning to Manotas, who leads the Dynamo in goals this season with 11.
In 2015, he played in his first game for the Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup against the Austin Aztec and had an assist in the 2-0 victory.
He earned a starting spot in the next tournament match during the round of 16 and had his first career goal in the 1-0 win over Colorado.
“Imagine a 19-year old working his way up,” he said through a translator Tuesday. “It’s something I am really proud of. I came here to leave a mark. I have great memories of getting my start here.”
Overall, he has played in eight U.S. Open Cup games, starting seven of them, and has scored seven goals.
“The Open Cup is a tournament that allows players to expose themselves and to make a bigger name,” Manotas said. “The Open Cup helped me get started and get where I am today.”
The tournament is a great avenue for young players to gain notoriety.
It’s also a great way for clubs to win championships outside of regular Major League Soccer play.
For the Dynamo, it’s a way to distract from some of the other issues they are facing.
The Dynamo are coming off a 1-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday. To call the match ugly would be an understatement. In the loss, the Dynamo were shown three red cards and six yellow cards.
A win Wednesday wouldn’t just help the team advance to the finals of the tournament, it would help erase the bad taste the last game left.
“Those types of games are motivation enough,” Manotas said. “We will be ready. We are focused on the next game.”
The prospect of winning a trophy in a season in which things haven’t been going well also provides a great deal of motivation.
The Dynamo (7-9-6) reside in 10th place in the Western Conference standings and making the MLS playoffs will be a tough task.
But winning the U.S. Open Cup is doable.
Goalkeeper Chris Seitz won it with FC Dallas in 2016.
He believes the Dynamo have what it takes to bring the trophy to Houston.
“I think once you win the first couple rounds, you realize how close you are to it,” Seitz said. “You have to win five game to win it all, so I think when we won our first two games we looked at each other and it’s like, we have the team to do this.”
It’s a different monster. In some ways, only playing five games is good. It’s a shorter road to a championship. In others, it’s tougher. There’s no second chance or bouncing back.
“One mistake can cost it for you,” Seitz said. “It’s not a 34game season. It’s not a homeand-away series in the playoffs. It’s literally a single game and you see it.
“It’s a difference pace because it is a do-or-die game. It’s a Cup game. We take it very seriously. We know there is nothing after tomorrow.”
In Dallas, he said, the key was making the tournament a priority.
In the midst of the regular season, it’s easy to focus only on the MLS schedule. But the Dynamo haven’t forgotten what’s at stake with the U.S. Open Cup games.
“No one has lost sight of this game,” Seitz said. “It’s been circled on our calendar. It doesn’t take anything away from our leagues or those games. But we are able to compartmentalize a little and really understand what is at stake for us in this tournament.”
A victory over Los Angeles would put the Dynamo in the championship next month.
Another win then would add a trophy to their case, and another one to the sports books in Houston.
It would be a first for the club and a big deal.
“We have a home game tomorrow, and it will be a good one,” Seitz said. “We are two wins away from bringing home a trophy.”