Houston Dynamo FC were seconds from a valuable home victory before FC Cincinnati completed a dramatic late comeback, with Kévin Denkey’s 97th-minute penalty securing a 2-2 draw at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night.
Houston had built a commanding position despite spending long stretches without the ball. Guilherme Augusto broke the deadlock in the 38th minute, curling home directly from a free-kick to give the Dynamo a 1-0 half-time lead.
The hosts doubled their advantage six minutes after the restart when Mateusz Bogusz converted a penalty in the 51st minute. At 2-0, Houston appeared to have found the clinical edge required to withstand Cincinnati’s territorial pressure.
FC Cincinnati, however, continued to press. The visitors finished with 57.3 percent possession, 26 shots and eight efforts on target, compared with Houston’s seven shots and two on target. Their persistence was rewarded in the 73rd minute when substitute Bryan Ramirez pulled one back and shifted the momentum sharply toward the away side.
Houston defended their lead deep into stoppage time, but Cincinnati earned one final opportunity from the spot. Denkey held his nerve in the 90+7th minute, converting the penalty to complete the comeback and ensure the points were shared.
The draw reflected a match in which Houston were ruthless with their limited openings, while Cincinnati’s sustained attacking pressure eventually produced a deserved route back. Houston Dynamo FC next host Sporting Kansas City on September 26, while FC Cincinnati return home to face CF Montréal the same day.
Goals
- Houston Dynamo FC: Guilherme Augusto 38′, Mateusz Bogusz 51′ (penalty)
- FC Cincinnati: Bryan Ramirez 73′, Kévin Denkey 90+7′ (penalty)
