Houston Dynamo FC defeated USL Championship side Phoenix Rising FC 4-1 on the road tonight to advance to the Round of 16 of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The Dynamo will now travel to face in-state rivals Austin FC on either May 20 or 21. Additional information about the match will be made available on Thursday this week.
Houston and Phoenix each scored once in regulation, before the Dynamo secured the victory in extra time with goals from midfielder Jack McGlynn, forward Ezequiel Ponce and midfielder Sebastian Kowalczyk.
Notably, defender Pablo Ortiz, who Houston signed on loan from FC DAC 1904 in late March, made his Dynamo debut as a starter tonight.
Additionally, Dynamo assistant coach Juan Guerra made his return to Phoenix after joining the Dynamo from Rising last year, serving as Phoenix’s head coach and leading the club to its first USL Championship title in 2023.
The Dynamo took the lead in the 17th minute when midfielder Nico Lodeiro delivered a set piece into the box and found defender Felipe Andrade for a header. The goal marked the Brazilian's first goal for the Dynamo after his second team loan was extended to the first team earlier today from Fluminense FC for the remainder of the season.
Phoenix leveled the score in first half stoppage time when Dariusz Formella found the back of the net from the penalty spot after goalkeeper Blake Gillingham was deemed to have fouled a Rising player inside the box.
McGlynn gave the Dynamo the lead again in extra time in the 99th minute with a stunning left-footed strike from long range. The play began with midfielder Brooklyn Raines finding the 21-year-old just outside the box, where he curled the shot into the top left corner.
The Dynamo scored their third of the match in 112th minute through a combination play between McGlynn, Ponce and midfielder Ondřej Lingr. McGlynn played a long ball from Houston’s own half to a running Lingr, who dribbled into the box before finding Ponce at the far post for the left-footed finish.
Kowalczyk scored Houston’s fourth and final goal of the night in the 115th minute, finishing cleanly in front of goal after receiving a cross from Lingr inside the box.
Gillingham was called into action in the 33rd minute when Noble Okello fired a shot from outside the box that forced the young goalkeeper to safely secure the ball with a diving save to his right.
Gillingham came up with another big save in the 44th minute after denying a header by Hope Avayevu, who received a corner delivery at the back post.
Houston had a chance to take the lead in the 83rd minute when McGlynn found defender Ethan Bartlow in the middle of the box for a header that forced Rakovsky into a quick reaction save to redirect the ball out for another Houston corner.
The Dynamo next return to MLS action on Saturday, May 10, when they host Seattle Sounders FC at Shell Energy Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets for all Dynamo home matches are available HERE.
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