Houston Dynamo stun Inter Miami, sans Messi, in U.S. Open Cup final

Houston bossed a Miami side missing Messi and Alba en route to a trophy

No Lionel Messi? No problem…but only if you’re the Houston Dynamo.

The unfancied club from Texas, who had won just four road matches in all competitions in 2023, claimed a 2-1 victory in the U.S. Open Cup final, knocking off Inter Miami on first half goals from Griffin Dorsey and Amine Bassi.

The most substantial pregame question likely brought more interest to this U.S. Open Cup final than any recent edition: would Messi return for Miami?

Sadly for Miami fans and neutrals, the answer was no. Messi was left out of Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s gameday squad, apparently due to an ongoing battle with a knock relating to what the club has said was a problem with old scar tissue.

Without Messi or Jordi Alba (also out with an injury), Miami looked tepid in the opening exchanges, and paid for it when Houston took a 24th minute lead. Shortly after Drake Callender made a tremendous double save to keep the scores level, Griffin Dorsey overlapped from right back to powerfully finish off yet another superb attacking move from the Dynamo.

Before Miami could get back to its collective feet, the deficit got worse. Nelson Quiñónes, in the midst of an electric first half, was sliced down by DeAndre Yedlin, leaving referee Jon Freemon no choice but to award a penalty.

Bassi stepped up, firing his 33rd minute spot kick down the middle to stun DRV PNK Stadium.

The Dynamo’s control of proceedings was such that Benja Cremaschi’s 42nd minute shot, sliced well over the bar, was Miami’s first shot attempt of any sort.

Miami needed to make a big change, and Martino came through with a double substitution, moving from a 4-3-3 formation to a diamond 4-4-2. One of those newcomers, Josef Martínez, nearly made the Argentine manager look like a genius, only for his glancing 55th minute header to skip just wide.

The Herons were finally in the game on some level, with Andrew Tarbell finally forced to work with a smart save to deny Cremaschi’s curler on the hour mark.

Houston hung on under pressure though, briefly thinking Quiñónes had broken through with a killer third. The goal was initially given, but Freemon (after a VAR check) reversed the call after replays showed the young Colombian a step offside.

Miami predictably threw the kitchen sink at the Dynamo, but only finally snatched a breakthrough goal in stoppage time. Facundo Farías was given a split-second to size up a pass, and found Martínez to give the Herons a sliver of hope.

Miami made an almighty push in the final seconds, with Callender coming forward and attacking a late corner kick for the home side, but Houston ultimately made a superb first hour count to break a five-year trophy drought.

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