Dynamo top Sporting Kansas City, advance to U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
The lead was slipping. Possession was fading. Wednesday’s game was looking eerily similar to last weekend’s Dynamo collapse.
This time, however, Mauro Manotas was there to save the day.
Manotas scored in the final five minutes Wednesday to give the Dynamo breathing room en route to a 3-1 victory over visiting Sporting Kansas City in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16.
The Dynamo advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face F.C. Dallas on July 20 at BBVA Compass Stadium. F.C. Dallas defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-1 at Frisco on Wednesday night.
Wednesday’s Dynamo result was a reversal of last year’s quarterfinal between the teams. Sporting KC won by the same 3-1 score on its way to winning the Cup title.
Manotas had two goals Wednesday, with his last coming in the 85th minute on a shot from inside the box at the end of a counter attack. Until that point, the visitors had been threatening with dominant possession, including plenty in the attacking third.
“The third goal of the game was very rewarding for me, for everyone because we secured a spot in the next round of the tournament,” Manotas said through a translator. “It was important to win this match at home in front of our fans.”
It was the opposite ending that Houston experienced Sunday in Portland. The Dynamo went in front of Portland Timbers FC by two goals but conceded three second-half goals in a 3-2 loss.
“When you have a game like that at the weekend you can get down, think about it and not have a response, or you can come out and respond the way we did tonight,” said defender David Horst, who played all 90 minutes in both games. “I don’t think we had a hangover at all from that game.”
On Wednesday, a familiar face got the comeback started for Sporting KC.
The Dynamo led 2-0 when original Dynamos player Brad Davis tapped in a crossing pass from Diego Rubio in the 61st minute.
Davis, who was traded to the Houston rival to be closer to his family for the twilight of his career, scored 45 goals in 10 seasons with the Dynamo. Wednesday’s was his first against his former club in two appearances this year.
Houston had gone in front by two goals six minutes early on a series of three headers off a corner kick. Andrew Wenger headed it to Alex Lima, who headed it into the net.
The Dynamo took a 1-0 lead on Manotas’ goal in the seventh minute. The goal was set up by Cristian Maidana’s pass to Abdoulie Mansally down the left flank.
Mansally crossed it on his first touch. Manotas ran down the heart of the box behind defender Matt Besler and slid to finish with his right foot high in the air.