The Houston Dynamo extended its unbeaten streak to nine games and advance to the Western Conference Final with a 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers at Providence Park Sunday evening.
Houston will host Seattle Sounders FC on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at BBVA Compass Stadium in the first leg of the home-and-home series, with the return leg taking place on Thursday, Nov. 30. Tickets for the first leg of the Western Conference Championship are on sale now at HoustonDynamo.com/Playoffs, with prices starting at $32. Fans can also call 713-276-GOAL to purchase tickets Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST, or purchase tickets at the BBVA Compass Stadium box office daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Defender Dylan Remick secured Houston’s seventh trip to a conference final in the 43rd minute off a side volley to the top corner of the far post. The defender’s first postseason goal came off a free kick from midfielder Tomás MartÃnez that found defender Jalil Anibaba inside the box, the defender headed the ball toward Remick, who made his postseason debut in tonight’s game.
Forward Mauro Manotas’ uncontested 25-yard strike in the 76th minute proved to be the game-winning goal and his fifth against the Timbers this year. The forward came on as a second-half substitute for forward Erick Torres and with his goal, the Colombian secured Houston’s 16th all-time playoff victory.
Midfielder Dairon Asprilla gave Portland the lead in the 39th minute after he controlled a cross inside the box and beat Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis at the near post with a shot to the top corner.
Willis improved his postseason record as a starter to 2-1-0 and finished the game with three saves. The goalkeeper was called upon to make a key save in the 23rd minute off a midfielder Diego Valeri corner kick that found Asprilla inside the box. The midfielder’s header was on target, but pushed away by the six-year veteran.
Forward Alberth Elis almost scored his second postseason goal in the 29th minute but his header was inches wide of the bottom corner of the near post.
Houston Dynamo (13-10-11; 2-0-1) 2-1 Portland Timbers (15-11-8; 0-1-1)
Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Semifinal Leg 2
Sunday, November 5, 2017 – Providence Park – Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 21,144
SCORING SUMMARY:
POR: Darion Asprilla 1 (Vytautas Andriuskevicius 1) 39
HOU: Dylan Remick 1 (Jalil Anibaba 1, Tomas Martinez 1) 43
HOU: Mauro Manotas 1 (Eric Alexander 1) 77
LINEUPS:
Portland Timbers: Jeff Attinella; Alvas Powell, Lawrence Olum, Liam Ridgewell ©, Vytas Andriuskevicius (Jack Barmby 81’): David Guzman; Amobi Okugo (Sebastian Blanco 56’); Dairon Asprilla, Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe; Darren Mattocks (Jeremy Ebobisse 13’)
Unused Substitutes: Jake Gleeson, Zarek Valentin, Marco Farfan, Bill Tuiloma
Total shots: 12 (Dairon Asprilla 6); Shots on goal: 4 (Dairon Asprilla and Diego Valeri tied with 2); Fouls: 10 (Dairon Asprilla and Jeremy Ebobisse tied with 2); Offside: 3 (Liam Ridgewell 2); Corner kicks: 4 (Diego Valeri 4); Saves: 2 (Jeff Attinella)
Houston Dynamo: Joe Willis, Jalil Anibaba, Adolfo Machado, Philippe Senderos ©, Dylan Remick; Juan David Cabezas, Eric Alexander, Tomás MartÃnez (Boniek GarcÃa 83); Alberth Elis, Erick Torres (Mauro Manotas 73’), Alex Lima (Romell Quioto 86’)
Unused Substitutes: Calle Brown, Ricardo Clark, Kevin Garcia, Vicente Sánchez
Total shots: 12 (Alberth Elis and Erick Torres tied with 3); Shots on goal: 4 (Dylan Remick, Erick Torres, Romell Quioto and Mauro Manotas tied with 1); Fouls: 19 (Alex 5); Offside: 0; Corner kicks: 4 (Tomás MartÃnez 4); Saves: 3 (Joe Willis)
DISCIPLINE:
POR: Liam Ridgewell (unsporting behavior) 57
HOU: Alex (persistent infringement) 70
POR: David Guzman (dissent) 85
HOU: Boniek GarcÃa (time wasting) 90+4
POR: Sebastian Blanco (unsporting behavior) 90+5
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referee 1: Kathryn Nesbitt
Assistant Referee 2: Apolinar Mariscal
4th Official: Jose Carlos Rivero
VAR: Edvin Jursevic
