In Phoenix Rising’s first match against an MLS team in the Valley, Houston Dynamo FC ran away with a 4-1 win in extra time thanks to a Jack McGlynn wondergoal, and tap-ins from Ezeqiel Ponce and Sebastian Kowalcyzk. First half goals from Houston’s Felipe Andrade and Phoenix’s Dariusz Formella meant the USL-MLS matchup went to extra time, but Phoenix Rising couldn’t outlast the Houston onslaught.
Both teams came into this US Open Cup match with only one win each in their last five matches, looking to find some fortune in the valley. After a tepid first seven minutes of the match, Houston start to put the pressure on with a nice passing move and shot from Duenas. Houston dominated possession from the opening whistle, which became a theme throughout. When Phoenix attacked, it wasn’t often, but they always looked dangerous when they entered attacking third.
Phoenix Rising head coach Pa-Modou Kah was beaming after the match: “You cannot ask for more. The boys knew there’s not necessarily going to be a substitute for you, and they showed that hunger. We know what we can become.”
In the 17th minute, Felipe Andrade scored a header from a Lodeiro free kick that looked straight off the training ground.
“He’s a monster! That’s why we signed him,” said Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen.
It was a sublime cross, and Andrade only had to direct it goalward after there were no Rising defenders in the area.
Phoenix responded well to the goal. Their direct style of play tried to combat Houston’s periods of extended possession. A route one play that led to a Johnson cross was almost deflected in by Artur. Then, Rising flew down the field again, but Johnson was shown the first yellow card in the 24th minute after a foot from his attempted bicycle kick hit Gillingham in the chest. Would this pressure pay off?
As the first half came to a close though, the intermittent Phoenix pressure did pay off. Phoenix Rising seemed to gain in confidence and bravery going forward, and a series of corners and attacks led to a great through ball being played for Sacko to run onto. Gillingham went to play the ball, but the referee called a penalty that will generate a lot of controversy.
“It wasn’t a penalty,” Ben Olson reiterated after the game. Gillingham’s protests that he got the ball gave him a yellow card. Formella calmly stepped up and sent Gillingham the wrong way for Phoenix to tie the match with almost the last kick of the first half.
Coming out into the second half, it was more of the same. Sustained Houston possession with the occasional Rising attack past midfield. The frantic final ten minutes of the first half seemed to lead to the cagey opening 20 of the second half. No one wanted to be the one to make a mistake. With each passing minute though, you could see the intensity in the players rise as they knew how much a win would mean.
After only one yellow card in the first half, Montgomery, Cuello, and Okello got yellows all within a five-minute span starting at the 64th minute. For all of Houston’s experience through players like Lodeiro, Phoenix did not look out of their depth.
“I think we stopped them from playing through the middle … That was the game plan,” coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “Overall, when you look at the game plan, I don’t think many could say there was a difference between us in the 90 minutes.”
In a mirror to the end of the first half, Houston got a string of corners to apply pressure starting in the 82nd minute. Bartlow on the end of a great corner, but Rakovsky had an acrobatic diving save to his right. Then, a couple of minutes later, another Houston corner led to a melee in the box with another great Rakovsky save, and Phoenix could breathe a sigh of relief.
Only a quick breath though, as in the 90th minute Houston got two more corners – one led to a frantic defensive clear, the other led to a bicycle kick that went harmlessly over the goal by Urso. With Phoenix parking the bus, and Houston unable to generate any attack, the game went to extra time.
Ben Olson said, “Phoenix Rising showed us how tough they are. A lot of these USL teams are.”
Entering extra time, the tension between the players could be cut with a knife. The players on both sides, talkative through the first 90 minutes, became much quieter in extra time. The match needed a moment of inspiration to make anything happen, and that inspiration came from Houston’s Jack McGlynn. From about 25 yards out on the right side of the field, he took his left foot and curled in a goal that Arjen Robben would have been proud of.
“Thirty to forty yards in, he’s a guy that can unlock defenses. These are some of the spots we think Jack can help us. I’m proud of him.”
After the goal, Phoenix Rising tried to push forward for another goal again but slowly ran out of gas as extra time progressed. Damien Rivera had an exciting dribble past a few players but fell down easily in the box in the 109th minute. Right afterwards, in the 111th minute, Houston put the nail in the coffin on a beautiful counterattack which led to a Ponce tap in after a Lingr cross across the box. Minutes later in the 115th minute, there was almost an exact repeat as this time it was Ponce crossing the ball for a Kowalczyk tap in, making the final score 4-1.
After the match, three-time US Open Cup champion Ben Olson was relieved with the win.
“This is a tournament that we take seriously … It’s always a tricky match the first round of the Open Cup because we want to give some guys some minutes. They’re not always in the best rhythm, but they did a good job. This is why we do this, for these nights. You’re a few games away from being in a final. I think they understand that part, and we’ll go for it.”
Coach Sah highlighted the growth in his young players, especially Braxton Montgomery.
“This kid is 18 years old. Today was a great test against players like Ponce, who’s played in Europe. How many chances did he get? That made me proud because I think we gave them a good battle,” he also emphasized the growth from the youth players as a key to carry forward.
Houston will look to carry this momentum forward against Seattle in MLS, and Austin in the US Open Cup Round of 16. Phoenix will look to rebound against El Paso in USL this weekend.