Match Reports: Houston Chronicle | HoustonDynamo.com | Austin Statesman
Photos: Austin Statesman
Nelson Field – Austin, Texas
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71’ Corey Ashe
90’ Dominic Oduro (Corey Ashe)
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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.