A number of Houston Dynamo players celebrating
The Houston Dynamo victory moves them to the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup. (Courtesy of Houston Dynamo)

Houston Dynamo survive bout with former affiliate to advance in the U.S. Open Cup

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HOUSTON – Survive and advance.

That’s the recipe for any single game elimination tournament and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is no different.

On Tuesday night, the Houston Dynamo survived their U.S Open Cup match against their former USL affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Toros to advance to the next round, but it took some heroic moments to get there.

A late-minute goal, a saved penalty, and a win. Here are three notes from the game:

Sam Junqua for the win

Houston Dynamo defender Sam Junqua was tall for his age growing up which meant he had a height advantage over the opposing teams. This led to him scoring a number of header goals as a youngster.

And while that header prowess didn’t translate to his college career, the six-foot defender has two of them to his name as a professional.

And without a doubt, his favorite goal is Tuesday night’s winner which saw his header flick over RGV’s keeper Collin Miller.

That Junqua found himself in the box late in the game was a decision he made on the spot.

“I was trying to get the ball back from Marcelo as a one-two,” said Junqua. “It didn’t come directly back to me and he played it wide and so I just kept running and the ball came in my direction. So I just tried to flick it on. And luckily I made it, so really happy about that.”

Junqua played the entire game, the most minutes he’s played this season. His previous season-high was six minutes.

Fatigue was a factor for Junqua, but the former RGV Toro defender planned for it.

“Beginning of the game, the first half was more demanding physically. I was feeling it. Second half, at times,” said Junqua. “I felt like I was conscious of it going into the game, and I was trying to manage the way I was playing. Overall, I am happy with how it went.”

Michael Nelson to the rescue

For Junqua to have the opportunity to score the game-winning goal, Dynamo goalkeeper Michael Nelson had to play hero first.

Nelson, who has yet to feature in a Dynamo game this season, was called upon in the 60th minute when RGV’s Frank Lopez drew a foul inside the box, resulting in a penalty.

Lopez stepped up and sent his shot low and left, but Nelson’s quick agility put him in the right spot. The Katy-native parried it away to keep the score 1-1.

Junqua said Nelson’s save energized the team and changed the game’s momentum.

“Michael (Nelson) came out big when we needed. I think great save on the PK, kept us in the game,” said Houston Dynamo head coach Paulo Nagamura.

“We have a team-first mentality, and for Michael to come in and to bail us out with a PK, to keep us in the game.”

Nelson said after the game that the ‘keepers study the opposing players’ tendencies on penalties. Suffice it to say that the studying paid off.

“We do a little bit of research before the games certainly and study people’s tendencies and certain things like that and ultimately have an idea of where we want go,” said Nelson. “And in the moment there is a little bit of the art that meets the science where you just kind of feel it out.”

Nelson’s intuition saved the penalty and Houston’s chance to advance in the U.S. Open Cup.

Objective: Win

The Dynamo didn’t play their best game Tuesday night against RGV, and Nagamura knows it. But despite his team’s lackluster performance, the Dynamo won the game, thus accomplishing their objective.

“I think that was the objective to go to the next round. I think in terms of playing, it wasn’t our best game. I think having new guys and young guys and a mix of the players that have not been playing lately, I think that was probably one of the reasons,” said Nagamura.

“We lacked a little bit of chemistry there, but credit to the players to fight until the end and get a result with the goal late. But again, the objective was to move on to the next round, and we did that.”

The win also extends Houston’s overall unbeaten streak to six games. Nagamura said the victory embodies what the club is striving for, to be competitive and take it to the highest point possible.

“And every time we step on the field it doesn’t matter if we put a young team, a mixed team, a reserve team, a starting team, or whatever, we want to win the game,” said Nagamura. “And again, the objective was achieved today, and we move on.”

Houston will know its next opponent in the U.S. Open Cup on Thursday.