Erick Torres breaks club record for goals as Dynamo, FC Dallas tie.
FRISCO — Erick Torres’ dream season has reached legendary status.
Torres, the Dynamo striker experiencing a renaissance this year, scored two goals in the final 20 minutes Wednesday night to rescue a point in the form of a 3-3 draw against archrival FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium.
The two goals gives Torres 14 this year to break Brian Ching’s club record for goals in a single season. The result also puts the Dynamo in position to retain El Capitán, the trophy awarded to the winner of the Texas Derby.
“It is important for him to continue showing why he is the top scorer of the Houston Dynamo,” Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “It is a moment of history for him and for the franchise, but this is not going to stop over here. It needs to continue.”
The teams tied all three regular season meetings this season. If they meet in the playoffs, the team that advances would win the cannon. If they do not meet, the Dynamo keep it. Close race
The Dynamo (10-8-8) also stay two points ahead of FC Dallas (9-6-9) in the Western Conference standings.
Wednesday was the first time since June 20, 2012, the Dynamo came back from a two-goal deficit to win or tie.
“I saw a lot of fight. Saw a lot of heart,” starting left back Dylan Remick said. “Guys just never gave up.”
Torres’ first goal came in the 71st minute on a shot from inside the box after a pass through traffic by Romell Quioto. The tying goal came in the 86th minute when he knocked in a rebound of a Mauro Manotas shot that got deflected into the cross bar.
It was a stunning turn of events after the Dynamo had conceded three consecutive goals to fall behind 3-1 in the 51st minute. Played shortchanging
The game was complicated for the Dynamo because they were playing without four of their regular starters in the back six.
Regular starting defenders A.J. DeLaGarza (yellow card accumulation), DaMarcus Beasley (rest) and Leonardo (coach’s decision) missed the game. Defensive midfielder Juan David Cabezas (yellow card accumulation) also missed.
Their absences were clear as the Dynamo conceded two goals at the end of the first half and one early in the second half. Cabrera said the missing ingredient was that the Dynamo were not tackling the ball.
“When you don’t tackle the ball in a derby, you’re going to suffer,” Cabrera said. “Because of that, they scored those two goals in the first half. Even the third goal came because we weren’t tackling. In derbies, you go hard.”
The Dynamo seemed to be on their way to a 1-0 halftime lead before they collapsed in the final three minutes of the first half.
FC Dallas forward Tesho Akindele scored the equalizer in the 45th min- ute on a 25-yard rocket. Center back Maynor Figueroa gave the home team the lead in the second minute of added time on a shot from outside the left post.
The Dynamo had played nearly the entire half with the lead thanks to Vicente Sanchez’s goal one minute into the game.