Ivan Franco saves the day for the Dynamo once again
(image via Rudy Segura)
The Houston Dynamo welcomed old rivals Sporting Kansas City to Shell Energy Stadium Saturday night. Ivan Franco starred in the late show once again, scoring deep into stoppage time to rescue a draw for the Dynamo in a 2-2 thriller.
The vistors opened the scoring in the 25th minute, and it was their in form striker who gave SKC the early lead. Ethan Bartlow tried to play a pass forward to Hector Herrera but the Dynamo captain slipped and Sporting took over possession. A decisive pass forward found Gadi Kinda who one-timed a slick flick into the path of Alan Pulido. The Mexican took a touch then chipped the ball over the onrushing Steve Clark and into the back of the net.
Houston found the equalizer on the stroke of halftime with a beautifully worked team goal. Franco Escobar attacked down the right side and played Herrera on the run in the middle of the field. The Dynamo captain found Corey Baird at the top of the box and he flicked a one-time pass right back into the path of Herrera. Hector squared the ball in front of goal to a wide open Aliyu Ibrahim who just had to tap into the empty net. The goal was Aliyu’s first in MLS play, after scoring three in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. And what a goal it was, you may not have seen a better goal from the Dynamo in some time.
The Dynamo came out to start the second half looking like the team more likely to take a lead. Artur got himself free in the box and drilled a low shot right at SKC goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh. About ten minutes later, a good run from Gadi Kinda down the left side would give SKC the match-winning moment they needed. Kinda was fouled in the box by Artur after some stepovers on the end line. Referee Nima Saghafi gave the penalty and Pulido stepped to the spot. The Sporting striker sent Clark the wrong way to put the visitors ahead 2-1 in the 62nd minute.
As the Dynamo pushed for an equalizer they had chances. Herrera headed over in the 69th minute. Herrera’s free kick in stoppage time looked to be the last best chance they ended up getting. Enter the Paraguayan rescue mission led by Ivan Franco. A lumped ball forward made its way to the box and Thor Ulfarsson knocked it down. The ball rolled past KC’s defense into the path of Franco who slotted into the side netting to send Shell Energy Stadium into hysteria.
The Dynamo will take a point but they will feel this is a game they could have and should have won. It will be a quick turnaround to try and get back in the win column as the Dynamo are back at Shell Energy Stadium on Wednesday night to take on Minnesota United. That game will kick off at 7:30. Next weekend Houston travels to Colorado to play the Rapids before the league shifts to Leagues Cup play.
