Houston Dynamo come from behind to down D.C. United, 2-1

Story and photo Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (May 18, 2019) On a humid evening in Houston, where fans hoped the rain moving in from the northwest would be delayed, witnessed the Houston Dynamo score two goals in two minutes to down D.C. United by the score of 2-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The United loss was their fourth of the season, with Houston taking a 16-6-5 lifetime record versus D.C. The win was Houston's fifteenth over United in history and the tenth in Houston. Houston improves their season record to 7-2-2 (23 points) and pushes them into third in the Western Conference standings; behind Los Angeles FC (9-1-3, 30 points) and Seattle (7-1-5, 26 points).

The two squads battled to a scoreless draw after 45 minutes, which held into the five minutes of added time. In the 10th minute, fan favorite Alberth Elis left the game after he collided with United player. He was bleeding, and was immediately placed under concussion protocol. The Honduran forward, who was hoping for a score in the game to move to fifth on the club's regular-season goal list, was replaced by Memo Rodriguez.

However, the scoreless game did not last in the second half. In the 46th minute, midfielder Ulises Segura got the ball at the far post; pushing it to a waiting Wayne Rooney at the near post; who tapped the ball into the unprotected left side of the goal for his seventh goal of the season.

The Dynamo were not to be denied, as they scored two goals in the span of two minutes to take a 2-1 lead in the 68th minute. The scoring frenzy began in the 67th minute when Memo Rodriguez came down the right side of the pitch; cutting across the top side of the box, and punching the ball to the left post for his fifth goal of 2019. One minute later, Tommy McNamara kneed the ball pass goalkeeper Bill Hemis for his first gaol in a Dynamo uniform. He entered the game two minutes prior to the score, as a replacement for Romell Quioto.

“It was good three points at home. We really fought today, and it was good team effort defensively. We’re closing out huge now. Sometimes we suffer but we still get the three points and that’s important," stated Rodriguez. He added  "It (the team’s performance)was difficult because this was our third game in eight days. We knew that some of us were tired but it’s part of fútbol. You have to be ready at all times. We knew DC United was in first place in their conference. Their a tough team and they play well but we knew that we had to come out with the intensity and bring the game to them.”

The match wrapped up a eight-day, three game series; and was the eighth home game for Houston. In their next ten games, the Dynamo will play seven of them on the road.