Twenty two months ago, the Houston Dynamo obtained forward Corey Baird in a trade with LAFC for cash and international slot. The 27 year old, in the Round of 16 of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, showed why Houston wanted him so badly. Baird had a hand in all four Houston goals in a 4-0 rout of Minnesota United FC.
As a result, Baird was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round.
Baird ran away with the voting for the award. Albert Dikwa (Pittsburgh Riverhounds) finished second, with a pair of goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg (Birmingham Legion FC) and Alec Kann (FC Cincinnati) also receiving strong support. The Player of the Round award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters and select backers (those that pledge $10 or more) of TheCup.us’ Patreon team.
Baird began his night converting a penalty kick in the 33rd minute. The conversion came after a handball call in the box against the reigning Player of the Round winner Bongokuhle Hlongwane. Five minutes later, El Naranja were up a man following a red card for card accumulation against Minnesota’s Kevin Arriega.
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— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) May 24, 2023
In the 68th minute, the 2018 MLS Rookie of the Year secured the brace. His second goal presented a much different style. Unlike the penalty conversion that he buried past Minnesota goalkeeper Clint Irwin, Baird took a through ball from Amini Bassi and calmly chipped a right footed shot over the onrushing keeper from the center of the box. The Houston forward’s career night continued moments later when he assisted on the Dynamo’s third goal of the match. His pass found an unmarked Ibrahim Aliyu at the top of the 18 yard box. Aliyu slotted it past Irwin for the third Dynamo marker of the night in the 79th minute. Baird turned his brace into a hat trick in the 89th minute of play. This time Baird put it past the Loons keeper with his left foot. The breakout night for the Houston forward has been long in the making. Now with his third Houston head coach in less than three seasons, the Poway, Calif. native may be finally finding his footing under current head coach Ben Olsen.
“It’s really nice to have some forwards get on the scoresheet,” Olsen said. “Corey, obviously, with a few goals, and that’s going to help him in a big way.”
Baird may be the answer to Houston continuing its strong run of play through the US Open Cup and bringing the Houston Dynamo back to soccer relevancy.
