Dynamo top Timbers with late short-handed goal

Houston scores winner minutes after going down a man in wild 3-2 victory

Mar. 15, 2026 at 8:55am

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Mateusz Bogusz scored a late, short-handed goal to lift the Houston Dynamo to a 3-2 victory over the Portland Timbers in a wild Western Conference matchup. The Dynamo went down a man late but Bogusz's counterattack goal in stoppage time secured the win after the teams traded goals throughout the match.

Why it matters

The Dynamo's victory over the struggling Timbers, who have now lost three straight, keeps Houston in the early Western Conference playoff race despite playing a man down for the final minutes. The dramatic late goal also highlights the unpredictability and excitement of MLS action.

The details

The Timbers took an early lead on a penalty kick goal, but the Dynamo equalized in the second half on a header from Guilherme Santos. Felipe Andrade put Houston ahead in the 77th minute, but Portland's Kristoffer Velde tied it up just two minutes later. Then in the final moments, Mateusz Bogusz scored the winner on a counterattack after the Dynamo went down a man due to a red card.

  • The Timbers scored in the 4th minute of first-half stoppage time.
  • Guilherme Santos scored the equalizer for the Dynamo in the 62nd minute.
  • Felipe Andrade gave Houston the lead in the 77th minute.
  • Kristoffer Velde tied the game for Portland in the 79th minute.
  • Mateusz Bogusz scored the winning goal for the Dynamo in the 105th minute, 15 minutes into second-half stoppage time.

The players

Mateusz Bogusz

A midfielder for the Houston Dynamo who scored the late, short-handed winning goal.

Kristoffer Velde

A forward for the Portland Timbers who scored the equalizing goal in the 79th minute.

Nicholas Markanich

A Houston Dynamo player who was issued a red card in the 93rd minute, putting his team down a man late in the match.

Jonathan Bond

The goalkeeper for the Houston Dynamo who made a save on a penalty kick in the first half.

James Pantemis

The goalkeeper for the Portland Timbers.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been due for a crazy finish like that. The guys showed a lot of heart to get the win after going down a man.”

— Paulo Nagamura, Houston Dynamo Head Coach (Houston Chronicle)

“It's tough to drop another close one like that. We have to find a way to close out games and get some points on the board.”

— Giovanni Savarese, Portland Timbers Head Coach (Oregonian)

What’s next

The Dynamo will look to build on this dramatic victory when they host the Seattle Sounders next weekend, while the Timbers will try to end their three-game skid when they welcome the San Jose Earthquakes.

The takeaway

This wild match showcased the unpredictability and excitement of MLS, with the Dynamo finding a way to win despite playing short-handed late. The result keeps Houston in the early Western Conference playoff picture, while Portland's struggles continue as they search for answers to turn their season around.