Ibrahim Aliyu’s Houston Dynamo beat Messi’s Miami to US Open title

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Former Nigeria U-20 striker, Ibrahim Aliyu and his American side, Houston Dynamo recorded a 2-1 win over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to win the US Open Cup at the DRV PNK Stadium on Thursday.

With an injured Lionel Messi (36) watching from the stands, the Dynamo had few worries to secure a win over Miami.

With no Messi to worry about, Houston were on top from the outset, moving the ball around with confidence and purpose while Miami struggled to get a foothold.

Houston grabbed the lead in the 24th minute with a perfect counter-attack ending with Brazilian Artur feeding the overlapping Griffin Dorsey who blasted in at the near post.

Colombian winger Quinones cut into the box from the left flank and Miami right-back DeAndre Yedlin’s desperate lunge brought him crashing to the ground. French forward Amie Bassi made no mistake from the spot to make it 2-0.

Martinez gave Miami some late hope with a left-foot strike in stoppage time after latching on to a ball from Argentine Facundo Farias.

But it was too little, too late from Miami and Houston deservedly won their second US Open Cup to add to their triumph in 2018.

Aliyu replaced American forward, Corey Baird in the 84th minute.

Miami had won the Leagues Cup with Messi prominently involved in August but they must now battle to make the Major League Soccer playoffs with uncertainty over their Argentine star’s fitness.

On the other hand, Aliyu and his teammates became the first team to win the US Open Cup as away team since Sporting Kansas City did same in 2015. The victory also earned the Houston Dynamo $300,000 in prize money.