History for Detroit City FC with road stunner vs. MLS team in US Open Cup penalties
Detroit City FC pulled off the organization’s second-ever upset of an MLS side in the U.S. Open Cup’s Round of 32 on Tuesday night, as Le Rouge stunned defending champion Houston Dynamo in 11 rounds of penalty kicks at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.
DCFC goalie Carlos Saldaña delivered the winning kick after the USL Championship’s DCFC took the Dynamo through 90 minutes tied at 3 goals apiece, and then two scoreless 15-minute overtime periods and the first five penalties knotted at four apiece, sending it to sudden death kicks.
After another five kicks, it came down to the keepers’ kicks. Houston’s Andrew Tarbell went first, but sent his kick high and to the right, giving Saldaña a chance to send DCFC to the Round of 16 for the first time. His kick blasted true down the middle, past Tarbell, to eliminate the MLS squad.
DCFC will face another USL team in the Round of 16, visiting either Indy Eleven or San Antonio FC, which play Wednesday night, on May 21 or 22.
BROADCAST NEWS: Detroit City FC to broadcast 29 of 34 games on local television
Le Rouge appeared to have gained an edge in penalties early when goalie Carlos Saldaña got a piece of Sebastian Kowalczyk’s shot. But the penalty just edged over the line. That was followed by a blocked shot off the right foot of Ben Morris to give Houston the edge.
Back and forth in regulation
Houston appeared to have the game comfortably in hand after Griffin Dorsey’s sixth-minute score and Latif Blessing’s 31st-minute goal gave the Dynamo a 2-0 lead.
But Ryan Williams scored a stunning golazo from well outside the box just before the half for the second-tier squad headquartered in Hamtramck, and Yazeed Matthews evened it entering the final 15 minutes.
Houston appeared to have put it away with a goal by Adalberto Carrasquilla two minutes later, but Mexi Rodriguez — who scored both goals in DCFC’s previous upset of an MLS squad two years ago — evened it again, at 3-3, in the 83 minute.
DCFC defeated the MLS’ Columbus Crew, 2-1, in the third round of U.S. Open Cup play in Hamtramck on April 19, 2022.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit City FC makes history with road MLS stunner in US Open Cup
