TUKWILA, WASH. – Tacoma Defiance defeated Houston Dynamo 2 4-3 in the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference Quarterfinals Sunday night at Starfire Stadium. Braudilio Rodrigues scored a brace, with Blake Bowen adding a strike and two assists as Defiance advances to the Western Conference Semifinals.
Tacoma got off to a fast start, scoring three goals in the opening 20 minutes. In the third minute, Travian Sousa streaked up the left flank, crossing a ball into the middle of the area that met the foot of Bowen, who slid the ball past Houston’s Xavier Valdez. Rodrigues scored Tacoma’s second of the night in the 13th minute, taking a through ball from Bowen and slotting home the chance at the far post. Rodrigues bagged his brace in the 19th minute, once again getting on the end of a pass from Bowen and finishing in front of goal.
Houston pulled one back in the 31st minute, with Jacob Evans converting a chance from inside the area.
Dylan Teves added Defiance’s fourth of the night in the 53rd minute. Rodrigues fed a ball to Sousa at the top of the area, who crossed it in front of the face of goal to Teves for the easy finish.
The visitors closed the gap late, scoring in the 79th and 81st minutes courtesy of Diego Gonzalez and Isaiah LeFlore to pull within a goal, but Defiance held on to secure the victory.
Following tonight’s contest, Defiance will host the Western Conference Semifinals at Starfire Stadium next weekend, with the date, time and opponent for the match to be determined this week.
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance 4 – Houston Dynamo 2 3
Sunday, October 1, 2023
Venue: Starfire Stadium
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
Assistants: Stephen McGonagle, Tiffini Turpin
Fourth official: Adorae Monroy
Weather: 61 degrees and partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
TAC – Blake Bowen (Travian Sousa) 3’
TAC – Braudilio Rodrigues (Blake Bowen) 13’
TAC – Braudilio Rodrigues (Blake Bowen) 19’
HOU – Jacob Evans (Diego Gonzalez) 31’
TAC – Dylan Teves (Travian Sousa) 53’
HOU – Diego Gonzalez 79’
HOU – Isaiah LeFlore (Jathan Juarez) 81’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
TAC – Jathan Juarez (caution) 18’
TAC – Fito Ovalle (caution) 44’
HOU – Tate Lampman (caution) 72’
LINEUPS & STATS
Tacoma Defiance – Jacob Castro; Stuart Hawkins, Fito Ovalle – captain (Snyder Brunell HT), Abdoulaye Cissoko; Blake Bowen, Hal Uderitz, Frank Daroma, Travian Sousa; Georgi Minoungou (Antonio Herrera 65’), Dylan Teves (Gio Miglietti 71’), Braudilio Rodrigues
Substitutes not used: Wallis Lapsley, Pedro, Elias Katsaros, Chris Aquino, Juan Alvarez, Eythor Bjørgolfsson
Total Shots: 8
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 12
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 4
Houston Dynamo 2 – Xavier Valdez; Jathan Juarez, Talen Maples – captain, Tate Lampman, Mujeeb Murana (Omar Grey 57’); Diego Gonzalez, Sebastian Rodriguez (Charles Auguste 68’), Yair González (Paolo Ríos 57’); Isaiah LeFlore, Jacob Evans, Papa Ndoye
Substitutes not used: Andrew Pannenberg, Isaiah Reid, Joyner Castillo, Jesus Orejuela, Ifeanyi Udanoh
Total shots: 12
Shots on goal: 7
Fouls: 19
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 2
