Erik Sviatchenko’s curling shot off a pass from Coco Carrasquilla in the 68th minute was the deciding goal as playoff-bound Houston Dynamo FC defeated the visiting New England Revolution 2-1 on Wednesday in a late-season interconference clash.
The Dynamo (14-9-9, 51 points) have clinched a spot in the postseason and climbed to fifth place in the West with two matches to play. Houston is just one place and one point from hosting a first-round playoff series.
New England (9-18-4, 31 points) is still eligible for a playoff spot in the East but heads to the weekend in 14th place in the conference, six points behind Toronto for the final wild-card spot with five other teams to pass and a game in hand.
The Revolution produced the game’s initial scoring chance when Bobby Wood’s shot from the center of the box in the 10th minute was stopped by Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark. The Dynamo responded in the 24th minute as Sebastian Kowalczyk tested New England keeper Aljaz Ivacic from close in in the penalty area but the Revolution’s keeper was up to the task.
Houston pressed the attack early in the second half, with shots on goal in the 48th minute by Ezequiel Ponce and a minute later by Erik Sviatchenko that were both turned away by Ivacic.
The Dynamo finally broke through in the 50th minute as Ponce turned around a pass from Carrasquilla and found the net to the right middle of the goal on a shot from outside the box. Jose De Lima Junior also garnered an assist for his work on the scoring play.
Houston’s lead was short lived. The Revolution took advantage of a foul of Luca Langoni by Junior in the box in the 53rd minute. Carles Gil converted from the spot a minute hence with a shot that beat Clark into the top left corner.
The Dynamo quickly went back on the offensive as Daniel Steres had a shot on goal in the 57th minute that was saved by Ivacic.
That set the stage for Sviatchenko, who used his chest to steady a free-kick pass from Carrasquilla into the box before curling a right-footed shot in the right side of the net in the 68th minute and putting the Dynamo back on top for good.
–Field Level Media
