It was a classic cup-tie for any competition: a host team needing all the home support it could get to overcome a two-goal first-leg deficit versus an away team that knew it could escape with either a draw or a narrow 1-0 loss. Well, Thursday night in Pachuca de Soto, Mexico, Houston’s dreams of the latter were dashed no less than 15 minutes into the second leg of its CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal game.
Poor defending from a 5th-minute free kick was followed by a needless Dynamo foul in the penalty box, setting the Mexicans up with an early 2-0 lead. Despite being overrun and outclassed in midfield, the Dynamo didn’t lie down, surviving the rest of the first half. Its endeavor earned Houston a somewhat fortunate goal in the 52nd minute (Brian Ching fouled his defender and then collected the ball from out of bounds before sending in his cross that led to Brian Mullan’s goal) to bring the aggregate score to 3-2. Four minutes later, the aggregate score was leveled, thanks to penalty kick from another clumsy challenge in the box. But Houston again managed to claw ahead in the 80th minute thanks to a Ching header, but once again Pachuca drew level on aggregate thanks to Gabriel Caballero’s second of the night. Pachuca sealed its remarkable victory five minutes from the end of extra time, thanks to the third goal of the night from Christian Gimenez.
Pachuca qualified to play fellow Mexican team Chivas, which beat D.C. United 3-2 on aggregate, in the Champions Cup final. The winner of that game represents CONCACAF in the FIFA Club World Cup in December, while the runner-up will play in the Copa Sudamericana.