Houston Dynamo 2, Los Angeles Football Club 2 | 2018 MLS Match Recap

After a 90-minute weather delay and 90 minutes more of regulation, the Houston Dynamo pulled off one of the latest comebacks imaginable.

Mauro Manotas and Philippe Senderos scored in the fourth and sixth minutes of second-half stoppage time, respectively, and the Dynamo salvaged a miraculous 2-2 draw against LAFC on Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Latif Blessing and Mark-Anthony Kaye scored on either side of halftime for LAFC, which missed a chance to jump above Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas into the top spot in the Western Conference standings. Adama Diomande turned from prolific scorer to cunning provider, setting up both goals on slick passes.

But Manotas answered with his team-leading ninth goal of the season on a strike that at the time appeared a consolation prize, taking DaMarcus Beasley‘s throughball and driving it beyond LAFC ‘keeper Tyler Miller.

Two minutes later, Senderos got to the back post on a corner kick and smashed a volley that caromed off an LAFC defender on its way into the net, setting off understandably wild celebrations from the home side.

FT: It’s not over ’til it’s over. 👊#HOUvLAFC #ForeverOrange pic.twitter.com/OHHbRz1q3e

— Houston Dynamo (@HoustonDynamo) July 4, 2018

Goals

• 5′ – LAFC – Latif Blessing | Watch
• 72′ – LAFC – Mark-Anthony Kaye | Watch
• 90’+4′ – HOU – Mauro Manotas | Watch
• 90’+6 – HOU – Philippe Senderos | Watch

Three Things

• THE BIG PICTURE: The Dynamo were second-best for long stretches against one of the most in-form sides in the league, but after a season full of matches that have felt like points lost, perhaps this is the turn of good fortune they need. Meanwhile, as good as LAFC have been, Tuesday night had echoes of their 4-3 loss to Zlatan Ibrahimovic‘s LA Galaxy in late March. That can’t become a trend.
• MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Senderos has played with giants of European football like A.C. Milan, Arsenal and Glasgow Rangers. And yet it’s hard to imagine the 33-year-old will have scored many goals more memorable than the second of his MLS career.
• MAN OF THE MATCH: The Dynamo clearly had their sights set on Diomande and his amazing strike rate coming into the match, and yet he still found a way to be the game’s most influential player. Imagine what he can do when Marco Urena and Carlos Vela return — provided there’s room for all those players in the same formation.
  

  Adama Diomande was Man of the Match in #HOUvLAFC:

  2 assists
  0 shots
  33 touches
  19/21 (90%) passes
  3 clearances

  The #LAFC striker didn’t continue his goalscoring streak (or even have a shot), but showcased the rest of his game with great assists and holdup play. Revelation. #MLS pic.twitter.com/B3X1qQu4St

  — Jason Foster (@JogaBonito_USA) July 4, 2018

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