Houston downs Vancouver 3-2 in hard-fought match

Photo by
Darlla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Jennifer Edwards
Special Correspondent for Soccer
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

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HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 16, 2019) The Houston Dynamo welcomed the Vancouver Whitecaps to BBVA Compass Stadium for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday, downing their MLS opponent by the score of 3-2. While the cannon didn’t fire on cue to open the match; the Dynamo defense came out swinging. Early in the game the Dynamo defense was challenged but showed their dominance in keeping the shots on goal at one. The offense was on fire, hammering Vancouver’s goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, eight times in the first 25 minutes of play. Crepeau allowed only one Dynamo goal by Memo Rodriguez ,on a pass from Alberto Elis. A penalty kick awarded to Vancouver was taken by Fredy Montero and was successful in putting the Whitecaps on the board. Later, in the 37th minute and after a video review, Alberto Elis scored putting the Dynamo up 2-1.

At the end of the first half of play. the Dynamo found themselves up by one goal up. The defense and offense ramped things up by showcasing extraordinary skills to keep the Whitecaps at bay during the three minutes of stoppage time, as shown by the fourth official.

At the start of the second half, a yellow card was issued to Memo Rodriguez in the 49th minute. The Dynamo had sparks of life early in the second half, but failed to capitalize on several attempts, causing a turnover to allow the Whitecaps to even the score up at two in the 54th minute. There was a corner kick, taken by Lundquist, that the Dynamo could not connect into the goal, sending the ball over the top of the crossbar. The offense shows a few sparks of life, but was having a hard time putting the ball in the back of the goal. The Vancouver defense was proving to be a big problem for the Dynamo in the second half and the Houston was having  problems getting through them. After the offense hammered the goalkeeper, Rodriguez broke through the defenses and scored again in the 74th minute. An injury happened when a Whitecaps player Andy Rose collided with Manotas and was helped off the pitch by the staff. Manotas returned to the game after being patched up. Vancouver would continue to play a man down due to using all of their substitutions. Mauro Manotas was substituted in the 88th minute and the crowd thanked him for his service to the game and his club. This match was his 100th appearance in an MLS match. Romell Quioto received a yellow card after a hotly contested penalty call. Both sides had tempers flaring and the referees were giving the whistles a workout trying to get the game back under control. From this call to the end of the game, both sides were fired up trying to hammer at the other’s goal, but neither connecting. The game ended with a corner kick being called, but not completed.