By Canadian Press

Houston Dynamo hold off Vancouver Whitecaps for 2-1 win

May 22, 2021 | 9:16 PM

HOUSTON (AP) — Memo Rodriguez and Maxi Urruti scored first-half goals and the Houston Dynamo held off the Vancouver Whitecaps for a 2-1 win on Saturday night.

The Dynamo (3-2-2) took the lead in the eighth minute. Fafa Picault swinged in a cross from wide left, Whitecaps goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was unable to corral it after a deflection off defender Bruno Gaspar and Rodriguez smashed home the putback.

“I thought we came in well in the game,” said Whitecaps coach Marc Dos Santos. “We had flow to our game, we had good possession. And then in one play that we misread, it’s a transition against us, we don’t read that the ball is not under pressure, we don’t drop fast enough, the ball gets in behind, and it puts us in trouble.

“They get the 1-0 and it created a little bit of unsettlement in our team,”

Urruti doubled the lead in the 42nd minute with a side volley to finish Rodriguez’s corner.

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“Unfortunately we gave for the first time a goal on a set play,” said Dos Santos. “We’re very disappointed with it.”

Deiber Caicedo pulled the Whitecaps (2-4-1) within 2-1 in the 80th minute, dribbling around goalkeeper Marko Maric and drilling a right-footed shot through three defenders.

Houston’s Ariel Lassiter had a curling left-footer miss off the top of the crossbar in the 67th minute.

The Whitecaps dropped their third straight contest while being outscored a combined 6-1.

“I’m disappointed because we’re training hard in the week and we can play like we know. It depends on us,” said ‘Caps centre back Erik Godoy. “We need to keep training hard and play better.”

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The Associated Press