Dynamo fall 2-1 to Sporting Kansas City in Open Cup Round of 16

Houston Dynamo FC saw their run in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup come to a close tonight with a 2-1 defeat to Sporting Kansas City in the Round of 16 at Children’s Mercy Park. 

Houston took the lead in the 41st minute after midfielder Darwin Quintero filtered a ball to forward Corey Baird just outside the box. Baird dribbled past two defenders and beat the Kansas City goalkeeper at the near post for the first goal of the game. The goal was Baird’s first for the Dynamo, and Quintero’s assist was his second in all competitions for the team this season.

Johnny Russell scored the equalizer for Kansas City in the 52nd minute. The forward was under heavy pressure at the edge of the penalty area and dribbled toward the heart of the box to create space for a hard, low shot that tucked just inside the far post.   

Russell gave Sporting the lead 20 minutes later from the penalty spot. Kansas City was awarded the penalty kick after getting tangled up with a Dynamo defender inside the box on Daniel Salloi.

Dynamo midfielder Memo Rodriguez forced a save in the opening minutes after he combined with Quintero outside the box. The Dynamo Academy alum dribbled toward the top of the penalty area and his effort was saved at the top corner of the far post.

The Dynamo created several dangerous chances over the final quarter-hour, first with a shot from forward Fafa Picault in the 80th minute that forced a save from the Sporting goalkeeper, and then three minutes later when midfielder Darwin Cerén unleashed a volley from distance that a Sporting defender got his body in front of. 

Midfielder Coco Carrasquilla had a shot from distance in the 86th minute that whistled just over the crossbar. In the final minute of regulation, Quintero won a free kick just outside the penalty area and Picault’s header slid wide of the far post.

Houston will close the three-game road trip on Saturday in Utah when they face Real Salt Lake at 8:30 p.m. CDT. Fans can watch the game live on AT&T SportsNet in English or TeleXitos 47.2 in Spanish.

The Dynamo return to PNC Stadium on Saturday, June 11 to host LigaMX side Atletico San Luis in the Dynamo Charities Cup presented by PNC Bank.