MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Dynamo Fall to Sporting Kansas City 2-1

Published on October 3, 2020 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON - The Houston Dynamo scored late but were unable to find the equalizer, falling 2-1 to Sporting Kansas City this evening at BBVA Stadium.

Tonight's meeting was the fourth of the season between the two sides, and the win allowed Sporting to salvage a split of the season series, with each team winning twice. Despite the scoreline, the Dynamo had the better of play over the course of the evening, holding the ball for nearly two-thirds of the contest, attempting nearly 600 passes, outshooting Sporting and holding a 17-6 edge in crosses from open play.

Sporting took the lead in the 34th minute through forward Alan Pulido. Pulido collected the ball 35 yards from goal and went one-on-two before creating a sliver of space with which to take a shot from six yards out. His low right-footed shot slipped just past the leg of goalkeeper Marko Mariæ, who had quickly raced off his line to cut down the angle, and into the side netting on the opposite side of the goal.

Mariæ came up with a pair of big saves in the 66th minute to keep Houston in it. First he made himself big to deny Sporting forward Khiry Shelton from 12 yards, then quickly recovered and dove acrobatically to his left to push away the followup shot from forward Johnny Russell.

Pulido made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute as he slid to get on the end of a diagonal pass from midfielder Gianluca Busio and lift a shot over an onrushing Mariæ into the back of the net.

Defender Sam Junqua pulled a goal back in th 84th minute with a picture-perfect header off a corner kick from forward Darwin Quintero. Junqua, who replaced Adam Lundkvist in the 78th, rose above the Sporting back line and powered his header into the back of the net for his first professional goal.

Late in the match, Dynamo homegrown midfielder Marcelo Palomino made his professional debut, coming in as a substitute on 78 minutes. The three-time Dynamo Academy Player of the Year signed with the First Team in January. The 18-year-old was tidy on the ball in his first minutes as a pro, helping hold possession by completing all 13 passes he attempted while drawing one foul.

Houston will be back in action at BBVA Stadium on Wednesday night when they host their in-state rivals FC Dallas. Kickoff for that match is set for 7 p.m. CDT, and a limited number of tickets remain available in the Club's socially-distanced seating setup.

***

Houston Dynamo (3-5-7; 16 pts.) 1-2 Sporting Kansas City (7-5-2; 23 pts.)

MLS Regular Season - Match 15

Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 - BBVA Stadium - Houston, Texas

Attendance: 2,004

SCORING SUMMARY

TEAM 1H 2H FT

Houston Dynamo 0 1 1

Sporting Kansas City 1 1 2

SKC: Alan Pulido 4 (Gianluca Busio 2) 34

SKC: Alan Pulido 5 (Gianluca Busio 3) 73

HOU: Sam Junqua 1 (Darwin Quintero 8) 84

LINEUPS:

Houston Dynamo: Marko Mariæ; Adam Lundkvist (Sam Junqua 78), Maynor Figueroa, Kiki Struna, Zarek Valentin; Matías Vera; Darwin Cerén (Marcelo Palomino 78), Boniek García (C) (Niko Hansen 58); Darwin Quintero, Mauro Manotas (Christian Ramirez 69), Ari Lassiter (Nico Lemoine 69)

Unused substitutes: Cody Cropper, Jose Bizama, Victor Cabrera, Tomás Martínez

Total shots: 13 (Darwin Quintero 3); Shots on goal: 5 (Sam Junqua, Darwin Quintero 2); Fouls: 11 (Kiki Struna 3); Offside: 2 (Ari Lassiter 2); Corner kicks: 4 (Darwin Quintero 4); Saves: 4 (Marko Mariæ)

Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Amadou Dia, Winston Reid, Roberto Punèec, Graham Zusi; Ilie Sanchez, Gianluca Busio, Felipe Hernandez (Roger Espinoza 61); Johnny Russell (C) (Gerso Fernandes 88), Alan Pulido (Erik Hurtado 80), Khiry Shelton

Unused substitutes: John Pulskamp, Cameron Duke, Andreu Fontas, Jaylin Lindsey, Daniel Salloi, Graham Smith

Total shots: 11 (Johnny Russell 4); Shots on goal: 5 (Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell 2); Fouls: 13 (Roger Espinoza 3); Offside: 2 (Khiry Shelton 2); Corner kicks: 2 (Johnny Russell 2); Saves: 4 (Tim Melia 4)

DISCIPLINE:

SKC: Amadou Dia (caution; foul) 39

HOU: Kiki Struna (caution; foul) 45+1

HOU: Matías Vera (caution; foul) 72

SKC: Winston Reid (caution; unsporting behavior) 77

HOU: Darwin Quintero (caution; unsporting behavior) 77

SKC: Ilie Sánchez (caution; dissent) 81

SKC: Roger Espinoza (caution; foul) 90

SKC: Tim Melia (caution; time wasting) 90+3

HOU: Maynor Figueroa (caution; foul) 90+4

OFFICIALS:

Referee: Kevin Stott

Assistant Referees: Logan Brown

Assistant Referee: Matthew Osterhouse

Fourth Official: Rosendo Mendoza

VAR: Jon Freemon

Weather: 80 degrees, clear skies

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