Club ‘gutted’ after tournament elimination
The L.A. Galaxy and the Dynamo opened the night as two of three teams competing for the final wildcard spot in the MLS is Back Tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Reunion, Fla.
After 98 minutes, players’ hands fell to their knees following a 1-1 draw Thursday. Both the Dynamo and Galaxy were eliminated, and New York City FC got the final spot in the round of 16, which begins Saturday.
The Dynamo will return home, where first-year coach Tab Ramos awaits his first win.
“We’re gutted,” Dynamo defender Zarek Valentin said. “It’s really tough, but ultimately I think our team made strides in this tournament, and I hope that we have a season in some shape or form to keep progressing.”
Houston (0-1-2, 2 points) missed the playoffs in 2018 and 2019. That streak will continue unless the league can finalize plans to continue the 2020 season beyond its summer tournament.
Still, for 73 minutes Thursday, Houston seemed determined to snap that streak.
Forward Mauro Manotas, who last scored in Houston’s Feb. 29 season opener against the Galaxy (0-2-1, 1 point), had a chance to put the Dynamo ahead in the fifth minute. But goalkeeper David Bingham saved his header from close range.
Forward Darwin Quintero put Houston on top 12 minutes later. His 17th-minute free kick caught Bingham flat-footed. It was Quintero’s first goal with the Dynamo, who played without forward Alberth Elis due to the red card he received in last week’s loss to Portland.
The Dynamo opened the second half up one goal, but they lost a second scoring threat when Manotas appeared to suffer an ankle injury and walked gingerly to the sidelines, where he was substituted for Ronaldo Pena in the 53rd minute. Forward Christian Ramirez is in quarantine following the recent birth of his second child.
“Late in the second half, we’re just trying to hold the result at that point,” Ramos said. “Unfortunate event in the 90th minute, but I’m proud of the team.”
Houston absorbed the Galaxy’s offensive push late into the match. Without forward Javier Hernandez (right calf) and midfielder Jonathan dos Santos (groin), Los Angeles struggled to navigate the Dynamo’s formation.
Then, as the clock ticked to the 90th minute, referee Victor Rivas blew his whistle for a foul in the box. Dynamo defender Maynor Figueroa had hooked his arm around Galaxy defender Diedie Traore before they stumbled to the ground on an attempted corner kick.
Forward Cristian Pavon slotted the penalty shot to equalize a minute later.
“I can’t make a comment because I haven’t seen a video,” Ramos said of the penalty. “I just saw a bunch of people falling down so I can’t tell. All I know is at this point, it seems like after every one of our games, we get an apology for the referee about a bad call he made.”
A suddenly urgent Dynamo team dashed up field looking to create chances in stoppage time. One sequence looked especially promising when Nico Lemoine popped a cross into Pena, but his header missed off target.
After five games with the Dynamo, Ramos is 0-2-3.
In the opener of the tournament, the Dynamo led Los Angeles FC 3-1 at halftime before settling for a draw — a missed opportunity that proved vital after Thursday’s result. The team will finish third in the “group of death,” which Ramos said offered the best measuring stick to gauge how much his team has grown in recent months.
“I’m really happy for all the teams that MLS was able to put this together,” Ramos said of the tournament. “Unfortunately, we can’t stay in it. That’s what we wanted. That’s what we planned on.”