Houston Dynamo at Portland Timbers: Highlights, stats, and quotes
(image via Houston Dynamo FC)
The Houston Dynamo head into the international break after a 2-2 draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday night. Sebastian Kowalczyk and Coco Carrasquilla scored for Houston. The Dynamo will return to league play on June 15.
MATCH SUMMARY
Portland Timbers 2-2 Houston Dynamo FC
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Venue: Providence Park - Portland, Oregon
Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr.
Assistants: Nick Uranga, Jeffrey Greeson
Fourth Official: Calin Radosav
VAR: Michael Radchuk
Attendance: 21,214
Weather: 67 degrees, cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
HOU: Sebastian Kowalczyk (unassisted) 9’
POR: Felipe Mora (Jonathan Rodriguez) 37’
HOU: Coco Carrasquilla (Hector Herrera) 50’
POR: Nathan Fogaca (Evander) 76’
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
HOU: Franco Escobar (caution; foul) 26’
HOU: Amine Bassi (caution; time wasting) 52’
HOU: Hector Herrera (caution; dissent) 53’
POR: Dario Zuparic (caution; foul) 67’
POR: Evander (caution; dissent) 71’
POR: Diego Chara (caution; foul) 72’
HOU: Micael (caution; foul) 76’
POR: Eryk Williamson (caution; foul) 82’
HOU: Griffin Dorsey (caution; foul) 90+5’
HOU: Brooklyn Raines (caution; other) 90+7’
LINEUPS & STATS
Portland Timbers: Maxime Crépeau; Claudio Bravo (Miguel Araujo 62’), Dario Zuparic, Kamal Miller, Juan Mosquera; Cristhian Paredes (David Ayala 62’), Diego Chará (Nathan Fogaca 75’), Jonathan Rodríguez; Evander, Santiago Moreno (Eryk Williamson 82‘), Felipe Mora (Antony 46’)
Unused Substitutes: Eric Miller, Zac McGraw, Dairon Asprilla, James Pantemis
Total shots: 15 (Jonathan Rodriguez 4)
Shots on goal: 4 (four players tied with 1)
Fouls: 19 (Diego Chara 3)
Offside: 1 (Jonathan Rodriguez 1)
Corner kicks: 7
Saves: 1 (Maxime Crépeau 1)
Houston Dynamo FC: Andrew Tarbell; Daniel Steres, Micael, Ethan Bartlow, Franco Escobar (Griffin Dorsey 87’); Artur, Héctor Herrera, Adalberto Carrasquilla; Amine Bassi (Brooklyn Raines 87’), Sebastian Kowalczyk (Erik Sviatchenko 94’), Latif Blessing (Aliyu Ibrahim 57’)
Unused substitutes: Brad Smith, Sebastian Ferreira, Tate Schmitt, Jefferson Valverde, Xavier Valdez
Total shots: 7 (Amine Bassi 3)
Shots on goal: 3 (three players tied with 1)
Fouls: 12 (Franco Escobar and Micael tied with 2)
Offside: 5 (Coco Carrasquilla and Aliyu Ibrahim tied with 2)
Corner kicks: 8
Saves: 1 (Andrew Tarbell 1)
HOUSTON DYNAMO HEAD COACH BEN OLSEN
On the result:
“Portland is a handful. They’re strong and dynamic, and it’s difficult to keep them off the board. Overall, it could have gone either way, and we certainly had a few chances. We are a little disappointed that we gave the lead back to them twice. That part must improve, but it’s been a long three-match week. I am proud of the guys and the way they fought tonight.”
On Sebastian Kowalczyk’s performance:
“Sebastian was a warrior tonight. He’s feisty and can collect the ball to relieve pressure. He is doing a better job of learning how to be a traditional nine. Every game he gets more comfortable with the relationships on the pitch and finding ways to manufacture opportunities. He’s growing into that role and could have had more than one goal tonight.”
On the team scoring more goals recently:
“We are working on it and fine tuning some things to push the guys into making real actions in and around the box. We just had to trust that goals were going to come with as many chances and shots as we were putting up. Hopefully the goal continues to get bigger because there is more to this team. When we get back from the break, we’ll have a sense of urgency to finish plays and climb up the table.”
HOUSTON DYNAMO FORWARD SEBASTIAN KOWALCZYK
On the result:
“I am so happy for my goal. Portland is a tough place to play, but we always want to win, especially when it is the last game before the break. We took one point, and now it’s time to rest and analyze a little bit because we aren’t in the place we want to be. After we come back, we want to win again.”
On scoring two goals this week:
“I am doing my job game by game and day by day. I'm happy with the two goals, but it’s more important to me that the team is winning than who’s is scoring.”
On adjusting to the forward role:
“These have been the first games where I’ve played up top. I still need time to adapt and learn how to play with the guys in this position. It looks good for now, and I’m happy about the goals, but we must focus on the next game now.”
