HOUSTON – The Dynamo beat the Philadelphia Union, 3-0, on Wednesday night to win the 2018 U.S. Open Cup at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The MLS season may not have gone the way the Houston Dynamo might've hoped, but with an opportunity to put their best foot forward in the U.S. Open cup competition they came up large.
Houston took control of the game almost immediately. Mauro Manotas took a brilliant pass from Alberth Elis right in front of the Union net and calmly popped it into the twine in the fourth minute of the contest.
Manotas headed the ball into the net from his knees and the crowd went wild, then Manotas made sure they'd have more to cheer about.
In the 25th minute, he went on the attack again. Manotas weaved his way through a pair of Union defenders down the right side, brought it back to the middle and from about just outside the box, belted a left footer that bounced off the post and into the back of the net.
For Manotas, that gave him 20 goals on the season (14 in MLS play and another 6 in Open Cup competition).
The third tally came thanks to another great attack and a bit of good fortune. Romell Quioto had a great look at a goal in the 65th minute, but his shot was saved, but with the ball near the goal mouth, a Union defender, Auston Trusty, in an attempt to clear the ball, smashed it into the back of the net for a 3-0 Dynamo lead.