Darwin Quintero, Darwin Ceren score as Houston Dynamo defeat FC Dallas

Updated: May 17, 2023, 12:13 am

Darwin Quintero and Darwin Ceren scored goals and the Houston Dynamo overcame the handicap of playing the entire second half with 10 men in a 2-0 victory over visiting FC Dallas on Wednesday.

The victory was the first for the Dynamo since Sept. 5, snapping a six-match winless skid and allowing Houston to even in the yearly race Texas Derby. The teams played to a 0-0 draw in Houston on Aug. 21 before FC Dallas claimed a 2-1 home victory in Frisco, Texas, on Sept. 12.

Rookie goalkeeper Marko Maric recorded the third shutout of his 16-game career for the Dynamo, turning away eight shots.

Quintero put the Dynamo in front in the 20th minute when he took a pass from Ariel Lassiter deep in the box and whipped a right-footed shot low and to the left of FCD keeper Jimmy Maurer. The scoring play started when Lassiter stole the ball from Dallas defender Thiago Santos and dribbled into the box before centering his pass.

FC Dallas nearly tied the game in the 27th minute when Andres Ricaurte, seeing Maric far off his line, lifted a left-footed shot from more than 45 yards away that Maric retreated on just in time to punch over the crossbar.

Darwin Quintero
Darwin Quintero
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Houston's Mario Manotas was shown a red card in first-half stoppage time after a committing a serious foul on Ricaurte, forcing the Dynamo to play with 10 men for the rest of the match.

Despite being down a man and possessing the ball only 25 percent in the second half, Houston found a way to add to its lead, salting away the win with a penalty-kick goal by Ceren in the 83rd minute. The Dynamo got the scoring chance when Bryan Reynolds was whistled for a foul in the box while taking down Christian Ramirez, a ruling that was upheld by video review.

FC Dallas lost for just the second time in its past seven games but was shut out for the third time in its past four contests.