Houston Dynamo rally for tie vs. FC Dallas

ByReuters ESPN logo
Sunday, May 21, 2023

Thor Ulfarsson scored on a header in the 85th minute as the Houston Dynamo rallied for a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas in the Texas Derby on Saturday night in Frisco.

It was the first goal of the season for Ulfarsson who entered as a substitute in the 56th minute. Ulfarsson headed Hector Herrera's corner kick into the center of the box off the far-right post and the ball barely crept across the goal line.

Steve Clark made three saves for Houston (4-5-3, 15 points). Despite the comeback, the Dynamo remain winless on the road this season (0-4-2) and have not won at Dallas since 2011.

Jader Obrian scored for FC Dallas (6-3-4, 22 points), which extended its unbeaten streak to four games. Jimmy Maurer, making his first start of the season in place of injured starter Maarten Paes (thorax), finished with one save as the Toros improved to 10-0-4 in their last 14 home matches against the Dynamo.

The Dynamo, who brought a 288-minute scoreless streak into the contest, controlled the early going, attempting three shots in the first four minutes but only one -- a right-footed shot by Ibrahim Aliyu in the center of the box off an Amine Bassi pass -- was on goal.

FC Dallas managed two shots on goal in the first half with Jesus Ferreira, coming off a brace in a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday, having the best scoring chance of the half in the 12th minute with a spinning left-footed shot in the middle of the box that Clark turned away.

It was Ferreira who set up the first goal of the game in the 53rd minute with a looping free kick from outside the left side of the box to unmarked Facundo Quignon near the far post. Quignon headed a shot that Clark saved, but the rebound went to Obrian alone by the right post where he easily tapped it into the net for his first goal of the season.

Houston had a chance to tie it in the 62nd minute when Ulfarsson broke in down the right side of the box and booted a right-footed shot that just went wide of the far post.

Obrian nearly got a brace in the 72nd minute with a right-footed shot just outside the 6-yard box that Clark tipped high off the crossbar.

--Field Level Media