Senderos’ two goals keep team on track
Win extends home unbeaten streak to eight games in a row
For fans at BBVA Compass Stadium, it had to feel like déjá vu.
Dynamo forward Romell Quioto situated the ball for a corner kick from the right side of the field, then launched the ball into the box. It descended to Alberth Elis, who used his upper body to knock it toward the foot of Philippe Senderos, who sent the ball into the top of the net for the first of his two goals.
From the foot of Quioto to the top of Elis then down to Senderos for the score at the 36-minute mark. It was a successful sequence in the Dynamo’s late surge to tie Los Angeles FC in their last contest, but on Saturday, it helped lift the Dynamo to a 3-0 victory over Minnesota United.
“Today, the whole team was very solid,” Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “Little by little we started to take over, and I think throughout the game we were getting stronger minute by minute.”
Houston (7-6-4) dominated possession in the contest, more than tripling Minnesota’s number of shots and corner kicks.
Quioto led the assault in the first five minutes, although his attempt — the first shot of the game — went wide. Just after the half-hour mark, defender Alejandro Fuenmayor hustled to a rebound and lobbed a floating cross into the box, where Elis’ header was saved.
Minutes later, Minnesota United (6-11-1) had a chance to take charge when second-leading scorer Christian Ramirez got past the Dynamo backline for a shot that rolled wide of the post.
In their last league matchup with Minnesota in April, the Dynamo went up by one after 10 minutes but surrendered goals in each half to lose by a score. But in the 52nd minute Saturday, from the same spot from which he helped win the LAFC game, Quioto lined up for another cross.
As he booted the kick, Senderos fought through the scrum and emerged. The Swiss defender used his forehead to direct the ball into the back of the net. It was the third goal of the season for Senderos (all of his Dynamo goals have come from corner kicks). It also gave Quioto his 10th assist of the year, tying for the league lead in what was his third consecutive match with an assist (a career milestone).
Elis got on the scoreboard two minutes into in stoppage time when he poked home his ninth goal of the season — tying Mauro Manotas for the team lead.
Saturday saw the return of Dynamo center back Adolfo Machado, who rejoined the lineup after his World Cup stint with Panama.
The win extends the Dynamo’s home unbeaten streak to eight straight across all competitions. It’s the fourth of six straight Western Conference games for the Dynamo, who moved into sixth place.
“I have to congratulate the players, after a very good comeback the past Tuesday we have very solid game — a strong game — and three points at home, so they deserve that,” Cabrera said.