The Houston Dynamo’s second-half comeback bid fell short as they fell 3-2 to Seattle Sounders FC at BBVA Compass Stadium this afternoon. This was Houston’s final home game of the regular season as they travel west next weekend for their final match of the year.
The Sounders scored their first goal off a header by defender Chad Marshall in the 26th minute. Midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro’s corner kick found Marshall in the heart of the box and he headed the ball into the bottom right corner for his fourth goal of the season.
The Sounders doubled their lead four minutes into the second half, again from a Lodeiro corner kick that found defender Gustav Svensson who headed the ball into the bottom left corner.
The Dynamo prevented the shutout in the 63rd minute as midfielder Boniek García sent a cross to the middle of the box where defender Kevin Garcia outjumped his defender and flicked the ball with the back of his head to score his first career goal. Lodeiro tallied his final assist of the game in the 87th minute as he found forward Raúl Ruidíaz running into the box. Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric made contact with the ball as he attempted to save the shot but Ruidiaz’ effort snuck under his torso into the goal. Houston pulled within one goal two minutes later when forward Romell Quioto’s shot was flicked back by forward Mauro Manotas to the far post for his 17th league goal of the year.
The Dynamo threatened the Sounders goal with two headers in the first thirty minutes of the game. In the 12th minute, forward Alberth Elis sent a cross into the box that found forward Mauro Manotas who headed the ball with power, but Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei saved the attempt.
Ten minutes later, Elis won a free kick outside the box. García delivered a cross to the heart of the box that found Elis but his header went just over the crossbar.
As the first half was coming to an end the Dynamo tried to equalize with two dangerous opportunities. In the 41st minute, Quioto fired a right-footed shot from 20 yards out that was deflected by Frei and defender Kelvin Leerdam cleared the ball before Manotas could tap the ball in.
Two minutes later, the Dynamo won a free kick in the final third of the field. García sent a dangerous cross to the right side of the box that was cleared but fell to defender Alejandro Fuenmayor who took a right-footed shot that was off target.
The Dynamo will conclude the 2018 season, fueled by 76®, on Sunday, October 28 when they visit LA Galaxy at the StubHub Center at 3:30 p.m. CDT.
Source: houstondynamo.com
