Houston Dynamo vs Portland Thorns Final Score: Manotas hat trick propels Dynamo to win over Timbers

Saturday night the Houston Dynamo hosted the Portland Timbers, a team kicking off a playoff push. By the final whistle the Dynamo looked less like a last place team and more like a team that should be making a playoff push of their own.

Fifteen minutes into the game Jermaine Taylor bumped into Andrew Wenger and was whistled for the foul just outside of the 18 yard box. Boniek Garcia took the ensuing free kick which found Raul Rodriguez at the far post but the ball from Rodriguez went just inches wide of the net.

The Dynamo were finally awarded their first penalty of the season after Collen Warner’s shot was blocked by Liam Ridgewell’s hand. Mauro Manotas took the penalty kick and had Jake Gleeson guessing the wrong way on the shot. Manotas converted the penalty kick to give the Dynamo a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute.

The Timbers started of the second half much stronger than they ended the first half. Mattocks got through the Dynamo defense, but his shot went off the post. Diego Valeri was able to jump on the rebound, Willis hadn’t recovered from his attempt to stop the shot from Mattocks, leaving Valeri with an easy goal.

Manotas got his second goal of the night after a pass from Boniek Garcia found him. Manotas sent a low shot towards goal that went right past Gleeson to make things 2-1 in the 79rd minute. Manotas would snag a hat trick before the end of the game. In the 85th minute, the striker got behind the Timbers defense and got the ball past Gleeson to make it 3-1.

The Timbers had the end on possession in the game but the Dynamo had a whopping 17 shots in the game while the Timbers had 9.

Next up for the Dynamo New York City FC who come to Houston on Friday night.

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