Houston Dynamo

2009 Third Round: Houston Dynamo earn first win since 2006, beating Aztex 2-0

July 1, 2009 by

Match Reports: Houston Chronicle | HoustonDynamo.com | Austin Statesman
Photos: Austin Statesman
Nelson Field – Austin, Texas

	0	FT	2
				71’ Corey Ashe 90’ Dominic Oduro (Corey Ashe)

The Houston Dynamo placed Major League Soccer back on track in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Austin Aztex at Nelson Field in Austin. The win comes a day after MLS suffered four upset losses to USL opponents, with the other two receiving scares from lower division teams.

After 71 minutes of scoreless soccer, Corey Ashe scored the game-winner, putting in a rebound off of a John Michael Hayden free kick. Dominic Oduro finished the match with a volley in the 90th minute to secure the victory for the Dynamo.

Houston maintained the majority of possession throughout the match, forcing seven corners against Austin in the first thirty minutes and totaling eighteen shots, seven of which were on frame.

Austin were unable to find a rhythm and never troubled goalkeeper Tally Hall, who earned his first start, win and clean sheet as a member of the Dynamo.

The win was the first Open Cup victory since Houston’s inaugural season in 2006 when they won a pair of games and advanced to the Semifinals. By eliminating the Aztex, it was the first time Houston had knocked off a team from the USL First Division.

The Houston Dynamo now move on to face the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, SC on Tuesday, July 7. These two teams will meet for the third consecutive tournament, with Charleston advancing in extra time in 2007 and by way of the penalty kick shootout in 2008.

2008 Third Round: 9-man Battery eliminate Houston Dynamo again

July 1, 2008 by

Last year, the Charleston Battery defeated the Houston Dynamo in the Third Round of the US Open Cup at Blackbaud Stadium, but it took extra time to do so. This year produced the same result, but penalty kicks were needed this time around. Charleston beat Houston 4-3 in penalties after extra time resulted in a 1-1 draw, sending the Battery to the Quarterfinals for the second year in a row.

Charleston controlled much of the first half, finally punching through in the 31st minute, when Osvaldo Alonso took a free kick from outside the box on the left side, which found Ian Fuller’s head and eventually landed at the feet of Marco Reda, who put it past Dynamo keeper Tony Caig for the 1-0 lead. The second half was a much different story. In the 55th minute, a shot by Franco Caraccio was destined for goal, but Stephen Armstrong was there to clear it off the line. Then it started to really fall apart for the Battery.

In the 74th minute, recent sub Chris Corcoran was given a straight red card after he fouled Chris Wondolowski. Charleston looked to hold on for the last 16 minutes, but it wasn’t to be. A ball served into the box from Chris Wondolowski was headed by Franco Caraccio to Chris’ brother Stephen, who headed it home in the 89th minute to tie the game for Houston. Extra time saw both teams moving somewhat cautiously, but a 102nd minute red card by Marco Reda put the Battery down to nine men for the rest of the match.

Penalties are mostly a guessing game, but there was no guessing needed by Battery keeper Dusty Hudock when on Houston’s third try with the score tied at 2, Geoff Cameron chipped the shot well over the net, giving Charleston the advantage. The Battery led 4-3 heading into the fifth round, which brought pressure on newcomer Franco Caraccio to score the goal that would keep Houston alive. He went left. Hudock dove to his right, making the save and giving Charleston the victory.

Charleston will now travel to Pizza Hut Park next Tuesday to play Houston’s Texas rivals, FC Dallas. Coincidentally, Dallas has knocked out the Battery in the last two Open Cups, needing extra time (or more) to do so on both occasions.

2007 Third Round: Battery upset Dynamo on PK rebound in extra time

July 10, 2007 by

In a hard-fought match at Blackbaud Stadium, the Charleston Battery eliminated the Houston Dynamo 1-0 with a goal in extra time by Stephen Armstrong.

Houston goalkeeper Zach Wells, who bailed out the Dynamo on several occasions, saved the penalty kick by Armstrong in the 106th minute, but Armstrong crashed the net and buried the rebound. It was the fourth win by the Battery over an MLS team in their franchise history (1999 – DC United, 2001 – Metrostars, 2004 – Metrostars).

With the win, the Battery will host FC Dallas for the second year in a row, this time in the Quarterfinals. The game will be a rematch of the thrilling Fourth Round game from last season where Kenny Cooper scored the equalizer, his third goal of the game, in the final minute of extra time to send the 3-3 game into penalties. Dallas would prevail in the shootout, 5-3.