The Union's third trip to a U.S. Open Cup final in five years ended, as the 2014 and 2015 editions did, with a loss. The Houston Dynamo rode the momentum of a Mauro Manotas first-half brace to a 3-0 win Wednesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.
It didn't take long for both teams to try their luck on goal, and it actually appeared that Fafa Picault opened the scoring in just the fourth minute, slipping past the Dynamo defense to lift a header over goalkeeper Joe Willis. But it was ruled offside, and less than 30 seconds later, Manotas put in a kneeling header that counted, assisted by Alberth Elis, for the opener.