The Houston Dynamo earned a point away from home for the third time in four road matches with a 2-2 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place on Friday night.
Houston appeared poised to take all three points after forward Mauro Manotas netted his team-leading fifth goal of the season in the 89th minute. The 22-year-old Colombian collected a deflection at the top of the penalty area and buried a right-footed shot in the side netting to put Houston up 2-1, but Vancouver defender Kendall Waston scored off a header in the fourth minute of stoppage time to equalize the contest.
Manotas’ goal came after midfielder Arturo Alvarez, a 72nd-minute substitute, picked up the ball on the right flank and cut in on his left foot, uncorking a shot that was blocked on its way through and falling to the alert feet of Manotas. In the minutes prior to that goal, Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis and the back line fended off wave after wave of Vancouver attacks in the preceding minutes. Dynamo defenders cleared a pair of Vancouver chances off the line in a wild sequence in the 85th minute as Leonardo first raced to sweep a ball off the line and Alejandro Fuenmayor prevented a goal with a bicycle kick seconds later.
Houston got on the board first when midfielder Tomás MartÃnez found the back of the net in the 35th minute. Midfielder Boniek GarcÃa sent a long ball wide to forward Alberth Elis. The Honduran international settled it and played a short pass to the top of box to MartÃnez, who took one touch and slid a low left-footed shot past Brian Rowe. The young Argentine tied his goal total from the 2017 season tonight with his second goal of the year.
Vancouver drew level just before intermission. In the 44th minute the ‘Caps were awarded a free kick after a foul by Fuenmayor. Vancouver midfielder Felipe took the free kick and passed the ball wide to Waston. The Costa Rica international dribbled to the end line before making a last-minute pass to José Aja who flicked the ball just over the shoulder of Willis.
The Dynamo were inches from finding the net in the 81st minute when forward Romell Quioto worked free along the left flank and floated a cross to the back post. Alvarez raced to get onto the end of the ball and was free at the back post, but couldn’t quite get his head onto the end of the cross as it floated out for a goal kick.
The Dynamo will play the second of back-to-back away matches next weekend in Chicago when they take on the Fire on Sunday, May 20 at 3 p.m. CDT.
The Dynamo return to BBVA Compass Stadium on Friday, May 25 when they host the NYCFC, at 7:30 p.m. CDT. Individual tickets for this game are still available. Season Ticket memberships are still available online at HoustonDynamo.com, by phone at 713-276-GOAL and at the BBVA Compass Stadium box office.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4-5-2; 14 pts.) 2-2 Houston Dynamo (3-3-3; 12 pts.)
MLS Regular Season Week 11
Friday, May 11, 2018 – BC Place Stadium – Vancouver, British Columbia
Attendance: 18,813
SCORING SUMMARY:
HOU: Tomás MartÃnez 1 (Alberth Elis 5, Boniek GarcÃa 2) 35
VAN: Jose Aja 1 (Kendall Waston 1, Felipe 1) 44
HOU: Mauro Manotas 5 (unassisted) 90
VAN: Kendall Waston 1 (Kei Kamara 3, Felipe 2) 90+4
LINEUPS:
Whitecaps FC: Brian Rowe; Sean Franklin, Kendall Waston ©, Marcel de Jong, José Aja; Bernie Ibini (Brek Shea 83), Felipe, Anthony Blondell (Yordy Reina 69), Aly Ghazal (Efrain Juarez 66); Alphonso Davies, Kei Kamara
Unused subs: Stefan Marinovic, Nicolas Mezquida, Jake Nerwinski, Cristian Techera
Total shots: 15 (Kendall Waston 5); Shots on goal: 6 (Kendall Waston 3); Fouls: 12 (Kei Kamara 3); Offside: 10 (José Aja 4); Corner kicks: 5 (Felipe 5); Saves: 1 (Brian Rowe 1)
Houston Dynamo: Joe Willis; Andrew Wenger, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Leonardo ©, Adolfo Machado; Eric Alexander, Tomás MartÃnez (Luis Gil 71), Darwin Cerén (Boniek Garcia 14); Alberth Elis (Arturo Alvarez 72), Mauro Manotas, Romell Quioto
Unused subs: Chris Seitz, Eric Bird, Memo Rodriguez, Mac Steeves
Total shots: 8 (Alberth Elis, Tomás MartÃnez, Romell Quioto 2); Shots on goal: 3 (Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas, Tomás MartÃnez 1); Fouls: 19 (Boniek GarcÃa 5); Offside: 1 (Romell Quioto 1); Corner kicks: 1 (Boniek GarcÃa 1); Saves: 3 (Joe Willis 3)
DISCIPLINE:
VAN: Kei Kamara (caution; foul) 61
HOU: Boniek Garcia (caution; foul) 64
HOU: Arturo Alvarez (caution; foul) 88
HOU: Tomás MartÃnez (caution; other) 90
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
Assistant Referee 1: Jeffrey Greeson
Assistant Referee 2: Cameron Blanchard
Fourth Official: Drew Fisher
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
