FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Sept. 27, 2023) – In the final contestation of the 108th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Houston Dynamo FC claimed the club’s second U.S. Soccer National Championship by defeating Inter Miami CF 2-1 before a packed house at DRV PNK Stadium. Griffin Dorsey and Amine Bassi scored first half goals for the visitors whose veteran midfield pair of captain Héctor Herrera and Artur stymied a Miami side that was shorn of Jordi Alba and reigning World Cup MVP Lionel Messi.
The victory sees Houston pocket the competition’s $300,000 grand prize and underlines the place it earned in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup with its Semifinal victory. The Dynamo are the first team since Sporting Kansas City in 2015 to win an Open Cup crown as the away team.
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Both teams started the match well, putting in strong tackles and pushing the ball forward with scoring intent, but it was Houston that looked the more dangerous of the two. After the opening quarter hour, Corey Baird came close when he redirected a Nelson Quiñónes cross just over the bar in a warning sign for the home side that the pair of Houston attackers would be a problem throughout the night.
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Both dangermen nearly scored shortly after the 20-minute mark when Quiñónes put a slick move on Miami captain DeAndre Yedlin to get free and force goalkeeper Drake Callender into a fantastic diving save that rebounded to Baird directly in front of goal. Callendar was able to stick out a toe and block the Houston man’s wide-open attempt.
Baird would turn provider moments later in the 24th minute. He took a pass from Bassi and raced up the left sideline before picking out Artur, who cooly played an overlapping Dorsey into the Heron’s penalty area. With his grandfather watching from the nearby stands, Dorsey smashed the ball into the roof of the net to give his side an important early lead.
Quiñónes’ speed came to bear just after the half hour mark as he cut in behind Yedlin once again, only to be cut down in the box by the Miami defender. Referee Jon Freemon instantly awarded a penalty kick, and Bassi stepped to the spot where he cooly gave Houston a 2-0 lead in the 33rd minute with a shot right down the middle of the goal.
Houston carved out a number of other first half chances and were nearly made to pay for missing them just before the halftime whistle, but Miami starlet Ben Cremaschi hit his volley from the top of the box over the bar.
Heron’s coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino went to his bench at half time in search of a spark. He found one in previous Open Cup winner Josef Martinez, who nearly brought the hosts within striking distance with a dangerous strike that just brushed past the post in the 56th minute.
The former Atlanta striker would eventually find the back of the net for Miami, but his strike in the second minute of injury time was too little too late as Houston saw out the match and deservedly lifted the 2023 U.S. Open Cup in front of their hearty band of traveling fans.
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