MIAMI, Florida – Alexandru Matan scored in the final seconds to earn the Columbus Crew a dramatic 1-0 victory against the Houston Dynamo in the first leg of their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Wednesday night at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas.
It looked as if the teams would settle for a scoreless draw, only for Matan to find the back of the net for the crucial away winner with just a few ticks left on the clock.
Columbus enjoyed a bright start and had the first really good look at goal in the 16’ when Diego Rossi curled a shot that looked destined for the top right corner of net, but Dynamo GK Steve Clark, tipped the ball to the crossbar and out.
The woodwork would save Houston again in the 19’, this time with Jacen Russell Rowe banging a shot off the post and out.
The Houston defense was spared an opening goal by Columbus in the 38’ when a Crew counterattack saw Clark came way off his line in trying to cut off a pass to Columbus FW Marino Hinestroza, but Hinestroza got there first and tried to float in a shot from distance with the goal completely empty, only to see the ball sail wide.
The Dynamo had their own clear crack at goal in the 43’ when Griffin Dorsey was in on goal, but Columbus GK Patrick Schulte stood tall to make the save.
Columbus were back with the pressure to start the second half with the entrance of star striker Cucho Hernandez, who quickly amassed several good scoring chances.
The intensity was rising as each minute ticked away, with both teams eager to get on the scoreboard first.
Just when it looked like things would end goalless, Matan fired a shot that somehow found a way through a sea of legs, past Clark and into the Dynamo net for the last-gasp 1-0 winner
