It didn’t take long for the Oaks to get on the board. In the 4th minute, NCFC earned a corner and, as the ball bounced around inside the box, Steven Miller drilled a ball off his left foot from just outside the 18-yard mark past Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis.

Houston had potential on the counter-attack in the 7th minute as former Duke Blue Devil Andrew Wenger drew Oaks’ keeper Brian Sylvestre off his line, but sent a shot off the far post. Wenger had another attempt a minute later, but the Oaks’ defense was able to clear the ball out of danger.

After possession went back and forth, Wenger found an opening in the 25th minute when Vincente Sánchez crossed the ball from the right into the path of a sliding Wenger who put the ball past Sylvestre to tie the game, 1–1.

In the 29th minute, Saeed Robinson had a great look at a goal after Lance Laing drove the left side and crossed where Robinson blasted from near the 18-yard mark, but it was cleared out by the Dynamo defense.

Laing had been held in check for the opening of the first half, but found a way to get the ball on the left side of the field.

In the 38th minute, the Oaks had another chance at goal when Tiyi Shipalane dribbled in the box and around a pair of Dynamo defenders, but he made one too many moves and was dispossessed.

Sylvestre was tested just before halftime, turning back a pair of offerings from Houston to keep the game tied at the break.

In the first half, the Dynamo outshot the Oaks, 9–6, but NCFC had four shots from outside the 18. Houston also controlled the ball more of the first half, owning 62 percent of the possession to North Carolina’s 37 percent.

Both teams picked up the offensive pace in the second half. Houston started to press, but it was Schuler with the best look at goal in the first 10 minutes of the half.

A long ball found Schuler streaking up the middle of the field where he went one-on-one with Willis. With Matt Fondy on the left, Schuler took a shot on goal that went over the top bar.

But it was Houston that struck first in the second half after Austin Da Luz lost the ball in the Oaks’ half of the field. Dynamo defender Dylan Remick collected the turnover and pushed the ball past Sylvestre to put Houston up 2–1 in the 62nd minute.

Laing would get his goal in the 69th minute after Fondy earned a free kick. From 25 yards out, Laing did what Laing does and drilled the set piece into the back of the net to level the game 2–2.

Here’s a ground level look:

And another:

One more for good measure:

Laing had another shot on goal in the 86th minute, but his curling shot went wide right of goal.

Lightning forced the teams off the field two minutes later, but they returned after a 45-minute break.

Fondy and Shipalane nearly gave the Oaks the win in extra time, but both of their efforts were cleared by the Dynamo defense.

In the 109th minute, Rodriguez sent a shot sailing into a crowded penalty area that found its way past Sylvestre and into the net for what would be the game-winning goal.

Full highlights

Line-ups

North Carolina FC (4–4–1–1) — Sylvestre (GK), Ibeagha, Miller, Ruhaak, Black, Laing, Albadawi, Shipalane, Da Luz, S. Robinson, Schuler. SUBS: M. Robinson, Moses, Fortune, Akinyode, Orlando, Shriver, Fondy.

Houston Dynamo (4–4–2) — Willis (GK), Garcia, Hunter, Anibaba, Remick, Bird, Holland, Ward, Rodriguez, Wenger, Sánchez. SUBS: Brown, Escalante, Monroy, Greene, Luna, James, Murphy.

Cautions

Austin Da Luz (NCFC) 42’, Eric Bird (HOU) 66’, Andrew Wenger (HOU) 87’, Ruben Luna (HOU( 101’

Up Next

The Oaks hit the road to take on Indy Eleven at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday before returning to Sahlen’s Stadium for the return leg against Indy on June 24th, Pride Night for North Carolina FC.