Preview: Dynamo at Montreal Impact

THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo at Montreal Impact
Wednesday, June 19, 7:00 p.m. CT
Stade Saputo

BROADCAST INFORMATION
CSN Plus - 7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. pregame) CHANNEL LISTINGS
Yahoo! Sports Radio 1560 AM - 7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. pregame)
La Ranchera 850 AM - 7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. pregame)

PREVIEW
A huge match atop the Eastern Conference is ahead on Wednesday night as the Montréal Impact play host to the Houston Dynamo at Stade Saputo. The Impact still lead the Eastern Conference despite returning to action last weekend with a 2-0 loss at the Columbus Crew. The Dynamo sit in a logjam just four points back of the Impact, their last league match coming nearly three weeks ago in a 1-1 draw with Columbus.

REFEREES
Chris Penso; AR1 (bench): Matthew Kreitzer; AR2 (opposite): Peter Balciunas; 4th: Mark Kadlecik MLS Career: 38 games; FC/gm: 23.2; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 8; pens: 13

INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY THE METHODIST HOSPITAL SYSTEM

HOUSTON DYNAMO -- OUT: Calen Carr – Left knee; Anthony Arena – right ankle sprain

MONTREAL IMPACT -- OUT: Nelson Rivas – Left Knee; Maxim Tissot – Toe fracture; Davy Arnaud – concussion-like symptoms

HEAD-TO-HEAD

• ALL-TIME (3): Impact 1 win, 5 goals … Dynamo 1 win, 6 goals … Ties 1
• AT Montreal (1 meeting): Impact 1 win,  4 goals … Dynamo 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 0
• FUTURE MATCH: 8/24: Montreal Impact vs Houston Dynamo , 6 p.m. CT; 10/4: Montreal Impact vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:30 p.m. CT
• The teams evenly split their three meetings in Montréal’s inaugural MLS season, each winning once at home. The third match, at BBVA Compass Stadium, was a draw.
  
• Coaches record: Marco Schallibaum vs. HOU: first game … Dominic Kinnear vs. MTL: P3 W1 L1 T1

HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo return to action after three weeks off from league play, their last match a second consecutive 1-1 draw, this time with the Columbus Crew on June 1 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 21 points from 13 matches.
LAST MATCH

• The Dynamo took the lead in the 31st minute. Dynamo right back Kofi Sarkodie sped down the right flank before whipping a low cross to the center of the box. An unmarked Warren Creavalle timed his run through the channel perfectly and one-timed the ball past goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum.
  
• But the Crew were level in the 69th minute. Defender Chad Barson went down under Andrew Driver's challenge in the box and referee Allen Chapman pointed to the spot. Federico Higuaín converted with a powerful shot for the eventual equalizer.
  
• Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made two changes to the team that reached a 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park. Jason Johnson and Warren Creavalle with Brad Davis and Boniek Garcia away on international duty.
  
• HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-3-2): Tally Hall - Kofi Sarkodie, Ricardo Clark, Eric Brunner (Anthony Arena 20), Corey Ashe - Adam Moffat (Luiz Camargo 46) - Jason Johnson, Warren Creavalle, Andrew Driver - Giles Barnes (Mike Chabala 84), Will Bruin.
  

TEAM NEWS

• The Dynamo have now gone four games without a victory, their longest winless run of the season. They have played to four 1-1 draws over their last eight games.
  
• “I thought we had some good possession and some decent looks. You knew they were going to take some chances going forward and if that’s a penalty, then there you go … a tie’s a tie,” said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear.
  
• Warren Creavalle made his second start of the season, his first since March 23, and netted his third goal of the campaign. Two of the goals have come in his two starts.
  
• “When young guys or new guys come on the field it could’ve been a really bad game or a good game,” goalkeeper Tally Hall said. “I think the team mentality that guys come in and just come into this core circle where everyone’s on the same page and everyone’s giving what they’ve got for the team and that’s what happened.”
  
• The Dynamo were forced into an early change against Columbus as center back Eric Brunner took a blow to the head. Already without Jermaine Taylor because of international duty and Bobby Boswell through suspension and with Ricardo Clark deputizing in central defense, rookie Anthony Arena made his full professional debut, coming on in the 20th minute.
  
• Jason Johnson was also called upon for his first start of the season, playing wide on the right of midfield and lasting the full 90 minutes.
  
• “Anthony as a center back to come in and just adjust to the game as fast as he did in his first MLS minutes ever I thought he was very good,” Hall said. “J.J. [Johnson] I thought was a handful all night in his first start. It’s exciting.”
  
• In addition to getting their international campaigners back in the fold, there could be another addition on the horizon with Omar Cummings having returned to full training. “It was good to see him out on the field,” said Kinnear. “We’ve gone pretty deep as far as our squad goes in regards to getting minutes. To have someone like him on the field, and playing and not just jogging, is a good thing.”
  
• Following their league match, the Dynamo were eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup in the fourth round following a 3-0 loss to FC Dallas, who got two goals from Kenny Cooper.
  
• Here’s the Dynamo team: Tyler Deric, Mike Chabala, Bobby Boswell, Ricardo Clark, Kofi Sarkodie, Warren Creavalle, Luiz Camargo, Alex Dixon (Cam Weaver 71), Will Bruin (Brian Ching 62), Andrew Driver, Jason Johnson (Omar Cummings 79).