HOUSTON – Houston Dynamo defender DaMarcus Beasley has earned every right to be called “clutch” – after all, he has saved his team from defeat more than once.
Although the Dynamo lost in penalty kicks against Club América in the inaugural Leagues Cup on Wednesday, the equalizer from Beasley in the 85th minute gave his teammates what they needed to finish the regular 90 minutes tied 1-1 with one of the best clubs in North America – a boost for a team that's experienced ups and downs this year.
“He is a player who likes this kind of games. When I talked to him, he was calm and told him that the team needs him, that he plays in this game and that the boys need you to be there as a captain and said if they are ready. And this shows his [quality],” said Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera.
The 20-year veteran, in his final season as a player, has scored twice this year– both times during international competitions and in the crucial last minutes of the game.
Back in February in the Concacaf Champions League it was Beasley who scored the winning goal in the 84th minute on the road against C.D. Guastatoya, which ultimately gave Houston passage for the next round.
“It shows that despite being the oldest on the pitch you have to push and be a leader,” said Cabrera.
Beasley has a long track record in the game – he is the only player with four different World Cups under his belt with the US national team, competing in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 – making him a big deal at the national level as well stretching 16 years, 126 caps and 17 goals with the USMNT.
“He leaves you speechless. To see a player like Beasley, he can give you a spectacle on his own. We respect him a lot," said teammate Romell Quioto.
In December, the Dynamo re-signed Beasley for one final season and he was called a pillar of the Houston on and off the field.
True to that statement the 37-year-old has been instrumental to players new to the Houston organization, like forward Michael Salazar, who admires Beasley's tenacity and wants to be in the game a long time.
“He is a great leader, he works hard every day, and he shows his qualities every day in training. He never takes time off, he loves to be around the game. Just watching a guy like that and learning it’s a good thing for me as a young player to see how he carries himself,” said Salazar.
With time winding down on a legendary career, his teammates are cherishing the time they have left with the veteran.
“We’re really going to miss him, but I wish he would keep playing with us. There’s not going to be another one like him,” said defender Kevin Garcia, who jokingly compared Beasley to fine wine, because he keeps getting better with time.
