Late goal sinks Dynamo in Champions Cup opener
(image via St. Louis CITY SC)
The Houston Dynamo opened Round One play in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup with a visit to St. Louis CITY SC. With the first leg away from home, Houston had a chance to set themselves up for the return leg in Houston next week. The Dynamo thought they had scored in the first half only for VAR to take if off the board. The home side found their goal in the second half and the Dynamo were able to equalize shortly after. CITY then grabbed a late winner and will bring a 2-1 lead with them to Shell Energy Stadium for next Tuesday’s second leg.
Houston came out on the front foot, looking to use Griffin Dorsey to attack down the right side. Dorsey whipped a cross in to Micael in the third minute that the Brazilian could not get on target and skied over the bar. Minutes later, St. Louis looked to score from a head on their own end when Joao Klauss made a good run to get across the face of the Dynamo defense. His header glanced wide, keeping the game scoreless just five minutes in.
The Dynamo once again attacked through Dorsey in the 19th minute. This time his header had a bit too much pace for Micael and his header once again went up and over the goal. Just a minute later, St. Louis did what they do so well at, pressing high. The home side won the ball off Erik Sviatchenko right on the edge of the box but Klauss pulled his shot wide of goal.
Houston were forced into their first change just 25 minutes in to the match. Sebas Ferreira, making his return to the team, went up for a ball and looked to come down holding the back of his leg. After treatment from the training staff, he was taken off the pitch and replaced by Brad Smith. It was just moments later that the Dynamo thought they had an opening goal.
A long ball over the top was played through Aliyu into the path of Coco Carrasquilla. The Panamanian ran onto the ball in the box, found himself some space, and chipped the ball to the pack post for Aliyu to volley in. The goal was checked by VAR and after a very lenghty review, Carrasquilla was deemed to have been offside as the ball came through on the inital pass. Aliyu made an attempt on the ball as it made it’s way to Carrasquilla, making him offside. The teams would finish the rest of the first half scoreless and head to their locker rooms tied 0-0.
St. Louis started to take over the game around the hour mark, initally breaking through Steve Clark’s goal. Clark made a huge double save in the 60th minute, somehow holding CITY off the scoresheet, at least momentarily. Moments later, an Indiana Vassilev free kick was placed perfectly into the box for Tim Parker and the former Dynamo center back’s header beat Clark to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
St. Louis nearly doubled their lead on a few occasions right after their goal. Clark made a full extension dive to deny Samuel Adeniran in the 63rd minute. Adeniran then hit the post in the 68th minute. Just when it looked like CITY may run away with this first leg, the Dynamo found their lifeline.
Aliyu looked to have lost possession on the right side in the 72nd minute but he stayed with it and came away with possession. He got his head up and found a wide open Sebastian Kowalczyk in the box. The Polish midfielder just had to finish into the empty net and the Dynamo were level 1-1.
The Dynamo looked to see the game out and take a draw back to Houston for the second leg, bringing on some defensive-minded subs to hold onto the draw. St. Louis had other ideas and they grabbed the match-winner as the clock struck 90 minutes. Brooklyn Raines won the ball in the Dynamo box but was dispossessed by substitute Hosei Kijima. The Japanese midfielder shot to the far post, beating Clark and sending CITYPARK into elation.
The full time whistle blew and St. Louis came away 2-1 winners. The two teams will meet again next Tuesday in Houston, with aggregate score determing who advances. The first tiebreaker is away goals, meaning Kowalczyk’s goal could prove to be big, even in defeat.
