The Houston Dynamo finished their preseason by winning the Desert Diamond Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids. The Dynamo finished the preseason with a 6-0-1 record.
Forward Romell Quioto finished with a brace, earning the tournament MVP award and goal scoring title, the Desert Diamond Copper Boot, with three goals during the tournament.
Quioto’s first goal of the game came in the 43rd minute after forward Erick Torres found midfielder Alex in the midfield. Alex passed the ball to the Quioto at the edge of the box where the forward controlled the ball and beat GK Zac MacMath at the near post with a powerful shot.
The final goal of the game came in the 65th minute. Midfielder Boniek GarcÃa came in as substitute for midfielder Ricardo Clark and his impact was instantaneous. After coming in, GarcÃa sent a ball down the right flank to Alberth Elis, and the forward sprinted past two defenders to find Quioto who was unmarked at the far post. Quioto tapped the pass into the empty net for his third goal of the tournament.
Houston’s early pressure resulted in the first scoring opportunity of the game. In the second minute, Elis went down the right side and sent a cross to Torres. Fortunately for the Rapids, MacMath was there to intercept the ball at the near post.
In the 13th minute, defender DaMarcus Beasley cleared a ball conceding a corner kick. Rapids midfielder Dillon Powers found defender Jared Watts but his header hit the crossbar, leaving the Dynamo’s net untouched.
Three minutes later Colorado continued to apply pressure that was contained after Beasley slid in the six-yard box to intercept a dangerous ball intended for forward Marlon Hairston, who was coming unmarked from the right side.
In the 21st minute, Clark combined with Quioto for a one-two pass resulting in a shot from Clark from outside the 18-yard box, but MacMath parried the shot away.
In the 62nd minute, the Rapids nearly tied the score at 1-1 when forward Kevin Doyle took a shot from outside the box, but goalkeeper Tyler Deric dove to the near post and stopped the ball from going to the back of net.
The Dynamo open the 2017 season, presented by 76, on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. CST against the defending MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders FC at BBVA Compass Stadium (TICKETS). Opening Day is presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar.
Colorado Rapids vs. Houston Dynamo
Desert Diamond Cup
February 25, 2017 – Tucson, Arizona
(All stats are unofficial)
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Romell Quioto 2 (Alex 2) 43
HOU: Romell Quioto 3 (Alberth Elis 2) 67
Colorado Rapids: Zac MacMath; Eric Miller, Jared Watts, Axel Sjoberg, Marc Burch; Michael Azira, Sam Cronin, Dillon Powers; Marlon Hairston, Dominique Badji, Kevin Doyle
Unused Substitutes: Cody Mizell, Kyle Van Alstine, Edgar Reyna, Kalem Scott
Total shots: 9; Shots on goal: 4; Fouls: 11; Offside: 1; Corner kicks: 3; Saves: 4
Houston Dynamo: Tyler Deric; A.J. DeLaGarza, Adolfo Machado, Leonardo, DaMarcus Beasley (Dylan Remick 66); Ricardo Clark© (Boniek GarcÃa 65), Juan David Cabezas (Eric Alexander 46), Alex; Alberth Elis (Andrew Wenger 76), Erick Torres (Mauro Manotas 76), Romell Quioto (Vicente Sánchez 76)
Unused Substitutes: Calle Brown, Jalil Anibaba, Agus
Total shots: 10; Shots on goal: 6; Fouls: 8; Offside: 0; Corner kicks: 1; Saves: 5
Disciplinary Summary:
COL: Axel Sjoberg caution 44 (tactical foul)
HOU: Alberth Elis caution (dissent) 61
Officials:
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referee 1: Cameron Blanchard
Assistant Referee 2: Matt Nelson
Fourth Official: Nima Saghafi
