Houston Dynamo coach Ben Olsen believes club-record signing Ezequiel Ponce is starting to quieten his critics, having scored twice in Saturday’s thrilling 4-3 win at San Diego FC.
Ponce joined Houston from Greek aspect AEK Athens for a charge estimated to be round $10million final June and has scored 12 objectives in 31 appearances in MLS.
However with Houston sat outdoors the playoff image within the Western Convention forward of Saturday’s journey to Snapdragon Stadium, the Argentine had confronted criticism from some followers and pundits.
Nonetheless, Ponce was the hero because the Dynamo climbed right into a play-in spot with a 4-3 comeback victory over the Western Convention leaders, netting twice late on to flip the sport on its head.
The Dynamo trailed 3-2 with 87 minutes gone, however Ponce gained and transformed a penalty to equalise, then drilled into the bottom-right nook 10 minutes into 17 minutes of second-half stoppage time.
“He was for me, he was the participant of the match,” Olsen mentioned of Ponce. “What I’m enthusiastic about is he seemed very full of life on the offensive finish, and two objectives actually pushes a man ahead, who’s paid to attain objectives, frankly.
“I do know he’s been getting plenty of stick for not placing up the numbers {that a} big-money participant does, and now he’s beginning to creep up.
“I feel he’s received a couple of within the final two video games and that’s the place we want him.”
The Dynamo’s victory took them above Austin FC and the Colorado Rapids within the standings.
Austin’s sport in opposition to Los Angeles FC postponed resulting from flash flooding in Texas, whereas the Rapids misplaced 2-1 to Sporting Kansas Metropolis.
“I feel that simply the resiliency over all the group, I felt fairly impressed by,” Olsen added. “To go down after which it simply saved flip-flopping.
“After which to have one thing ultimately there, I believed our health was spectacular. I felt like we had extra vitality than they did in direction of the top.
“Typically that’s coming from Houston in the summertime. We get this lovely breeze happening right here. I feel these guys really feel like they will run for days! So, I’m pleased with them.”
Houston are solely behind seventh-placed LAFC on purpose distinction, albeit Steve Cherundolo’s crew have 4 video games in hand after their Membership World Cup marketing campaign and will climb as excessive as second with 4 victories.
San Diego stay high, one level away from the Vancouver Whitecaps, who suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to the LA Galaxy on Saturday.
Matheus Nascimento put the MLS Cup holders in entrance within the second minute, with a second-half brace from Joseph Paintsil additional extending their lead earlier than Vancouver had Jayden Nelson despatched off in stoppage time.