Title defense ends in upset
The Dynamo will not be defending their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title.
Carlos Saldaña converted the game-winning penalty as Detroit City FC upset the Dynamo 10-9 in a shootout Tuesday night after the teams tied 3-3 in regulation at Shell Energy Stadium.
The shootout was tied at nine when Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell missed high, allowing fellow keeper Saldaña to find the back of the net on a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner. Detroit advances to the round of 16, where it will visit the winner of Indy Eleven and San Antonio FC on May 21 or 22.
“First, congratulations to Detroit City. They played a hell of a game, really gutsy performance from them,” Dynamo coach Ben Olsen said. “They hit a pretty impressive goal to get it 2-1, and then second half, we continue to believe, tied up and then we go ahead and it’s just unacceptable that we don’t see that game out and some really naive moments from us. That can be the difference in the Open Cup. That was an Open Cup special.
“We’re still a really good team, we’re still in a good position in the league and we just got to get back to it. Use this as a little bit of a springboard to clean up some of the details in the group right now.”
The teams combined for three goals in a span of eight minutes late in the second half. Detroit’s Yazeed Matthews provided the 2-2 equalizer in the 75th minute on a rightfooted shot to the bottom left corner for his first goal of the season.
Coco Carrasquilla used an Amine Bassi assist to give the Dynamo a 3-2 lead two minutes later on a leftfooted shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner for his first goal this season. Detroit’s Maxi Rodriguez, who was subbed out in the first period of extra time due to injury, delivered another equalizer in the 83rd minute on a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner for his team-leading fifth goal.
“These are details that just weren’t on the highest urgency that we needed to be and anytime you mix the group up you can have these moments where the rhythm isn’t perfect,” Olsen said. “It’s nice to score some goals. That’s been hard, so it was good to do that but to give up three is just unacceptable.”
The Dynamo seized a midweek U.S. Open Cup game as a chance to gain confidence amid a threegame winless and scoreless streak in MLS play. Detroit, which arrived on a two-game winless streak after opening the USL Championship season on a five-game win streak, also snapped a two-game scoreless streak.
Griffin Dorsey, who returned to the field for Houston after serving a one-game suspension, wasted no time in scoring his second goal of the season, putting the Dynamo up 1-0 in the fifth minute on a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner off a Héctor Herrera assist.
The Dynamo made seven lineup changes after a scoreless draw against St. Louis City SC last week. The changes continued to pay off as Latif Blessing used a Gabriel Segal assist off a turnover to make it 2-0 in the 31st minute on a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner. Blessing, who scored his first Dynamo goal, found the back of the net for the first time since 2021, when he was a part of Los Angeles FC.
Ryan Williams got one back for Detroit in the 41st minute, firing a laser from way outside the box to the top right corner for his first career goal to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Herrera, who played 45 minutes for the second consecutive game, was replaced by Artur at the half. Substitute Ibrahim Aliyu led the Dynamo with four shots, followed by four others with three apiece.
The Dynamo outshot Detroit 7-0 in extra time, 5-0 in the first extra time, with Sebastian Kowalczyk, Bassi, Tate Schmitt, Erik Sviatchenko and Ethan Bartlow firing shots. The Dynamo ultimately outshot Detroit 30-9 with an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal while holding 64% possession. Tarbell had one save and Saldaña had four for Detroit.
Olsen said it was a good punch in the face.
“I think they’ll respond. It’s a good group in there and we have the right character to turn this into a positive and change things for the better in the league,” he said.