Anders Dreyer’s late brace lifts San Diego FC past Houston

Anders Dreyer scored a brace, including the game-winner in the 89th minute, as San Diego FC moved into sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with a 4-2 victory over the host Houston Dynamo on Saturday night. Amahl Pellegrino had a goal and two assists and Luca de la Torre also scored for San Diego (18-9-6, 60 points), which moved three points ahead of idle Vancouver atop the Western standings. Carlos Dos Santos finished with three saves for San Diego, which extended its road unbeaten streak to nine games while improving to an MLS best 11-4-1 away from home. Felipe Andrade and Sergio Santos scored goals for Houston (9-15-9, 36 points) while Jonathan Bond made two saves for the Dynamo. San Diego held a 69-31 edge in possession and outshot the Dynamo, 10-7, in the first half but still trailed, 1-0. Andrade put Houston in front in the 15th minute with his fourth goal on a left-footed shot from the middle of the box into the left side of the net. The score came on a free kick that ping-ponged around the box with Junior Urso eventually crossing a pass to Andrade who one-timed a shot past a diving Dos Santos. San Diego tied it, 1-1, in the 53rd minute when Pellegrino was taken down inside the six-yard box by Dynamo defender Pablo Ortiz for a foul and Dreyer, after a VAR review, followed with a left-footed penalty shot into the bottom right corner. The visitors then took a 2-1 lead in the 85th minute when de la Torre, who came on as a sub just a minute earlier, put in a right-footed shot from the middle of the box into the top right corner. But Houston tied it just two minutes later when Santos drilled a left-footed shot into the far top corner. San Diego then regained the lead in the 89th minute on Dreyer's 17th goal, a right-footed shot from the middle of the box into the top right corner off a short Pellegrino crossing pass. Pellegrino then sealed the win in the 13th minute of stoppage time when he drilled a left-footed shot from the left side of the box at the end of a breakaway. –Field Level Media

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)