Griffin Dorsey scores in each half to rally Dynamo to 4-3 victory over Whitecaps
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Defender Griffin Dorsey had a goal in each half, scoring the winner in the 87th minute as the Houston Dynamo blew a two-goal lead before rallying for a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night.
Houston (10-7-7) took a 2-0 lead into halftime on goals by Adalberto Carrasquilla and Dorsey. Carrasquilla used Ibrahim Aliyu’s fourth assist of the season to score his second goal for a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute. Dorsey followed with his first netter this season, scoring unassisted in the 36th minute.
Fafà Picault scored two of Vancouver’s three unanswered goals and the Whitecaps (11-8-5) rallied to take a 3-2 lead.
Picault scored unassisted with a header three minutes into the second half to pull Vancouver within a goal.
Picault set up a score by defender Ranko Veselinović in the 54th minute to knot the score. It was the second goal of the campaign for Veselinović and the fourth assist for Picault.
The Whitecaps took the lead in the 66th minute when Picault used assists from defender Sam Adekugbe — his second — and Sebastian Berhalter — his fourth — to score his eighth goal of the season.
The Dynamo pulled even in the 78th minute when defender Brad Smith took a pass from Sebastián Ferreira and scored for a second time this season. Ferreira’s helper was his third.
Dorsey scored the winner unassisted off a rebound with a right-footed shot from the center of the box.
Steve Clark finished with three saves in goal for Houston.
Yohei Takaoka stopped two shots for Vancouver.
Houston has lost just once in its last 10 matches. The Dynamo used a goal by defender Daniel Steres in the 86th minute to beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Wednesday.
Forward Ezequiel Ponce, who the Dynamo signed last month, started in his MLS debut after the secondary transfer window opened on Thursday. Houston signed the 27-year-old Argentinian from AEK Athens in Greece on a club-record transfer fee. Ferreira subbed in for Ponce to begin the second half.
The Whitecaps lost for the first time in their last six matches, going 4-1-1. Vancouver posted a 6-2 victory the last time Houston came to town in May of last season.
The league goes into a month-long break to play for the Leagues Cup. Houston will host Toronto FC when play resumes on Aug. 24. The Whitecaps will host Los Angeles FC on Aug. 24.
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