Hosei Kijima scored the match-winning goal in the 90th minute as host St. Louis City emerged with a 2-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Tuesday in the first leg of a CONCACAF Champions Cup first-round series.
Earlier in the second half, St. Louis’ Tim Parker scored the opening goal before Houston’s Sebastian Kowalczyk equalized.
The teams will conclude the two-leg, total-goal set on Feb. 27 in Houston. The victor will advance to meet the reigning MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew in the round of 16.
On the decisive play, a St. Louis City cross wasn’t dealt with properly in the 6-yard box by a Dynamo defender. Kijima pounced on the loose ball and rolled a 12-foot shot inside the far goal post.
In the 61st minute, St. Louis City’s Indiana Vassilev whipped a left-footed free kick from 30 yards out on the left side into the middle of the penalty area. Parker outran his defender to the ball and powered his header just past Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark to the bottom right corner.
Eleven minutes later, Houston’s Ibrahim Aliyu broke down the right flank and rolled a cross to the top of the 6-yard box. Kowalczyk ran forward and knocked in a right-footed shot to level the match.
Another CONCACAF Champions Cup first-round series was set to begin later Tuesday night, with the Philadelphia Union opposing Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica.
–Field Level Media