THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo at Chivas USA
Saturday, May 3, 9:30 p.m. CT
StubHub Center, Carson, CA
BROADCAST INFORMATION
CSN Houston - 9:30 p.m. (9:00 p.m. pregame) CHANNEL LISTINGS
MLS LIVE - 9:30 p.m.
Yahoo Sports Radio 1560 AM - 9:30 p.m. (9:00 p.m. pregame)
La Ranchera 850 AM - 9:30 p.m. (9:00 p.m. pregame)
PREVIEW
Two teams riding looking to reverse lengthy winless runs meet when Chivas USA play host to the Houston Dynamo on Saturday evening at StubHub Center. Chivas saw their current streak extended to seven games without a victory last weekend, in a 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes. The Dynamo snapped a string of losses but are still six matches without a victory following their 1-1 home draw with the Portland Timbers on Sunday.
REFEREE: Sorin Stoica. AR1 (bench): Kermit Quisenberry; AR2 (opposite): Adam Wienckowski; 4th: Kevin Stott
MLS Career: 20 games; FC/gm: 28.3; Y/gm: 4.4; R: 9; pens: 11
INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY HOUSTON METHODIST
HOUSTON DYNAMO -- OUT: Eric Brunner – Right ankle surgery; Ricardo Clark – Concussion; Tony Cascio – Right knee surgery; DOUBTFUL: Omar Cummings – Left hamstring strain
CHIVAS USA -- QUESTIONABLE: OUT: Andrew Jean-Baptiste – sports hernia repair; Tony Lochhead – L hamstring strain; Lyle Martin – R hamstring strain; Thomas McNamara – R ACL/Medial meniscus tear; Mauro Rosales – L adductor strain; QUESTIONABLE: Bobby Burling – R low back irritation; Matthew Dunn – headache; SUSPENDED: Dan Kennedy
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME (18 meetings): Chivas USA 2 wins, 13 goals … Dynamo 11 wins, 33 goals … Ties 5
- AT CHIVAS (8 meetings): Chivas USA 2 wins, 10 goals … Dynamo 3 wins, 10 goals … Ties 3
- RETURN MATCHES: None.
- This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.
- The Dynamo defeated Chivas USA 5-1 a year ago at StubHub Center, their largest victory ever in the series. All-time in Houston, Chivas USA are winless in league play (0-8-2).
- The Dynamo have won the last two meetings between the teams, over the last two seasons, since a Chivas USA 3-0 victory on July 23, 2011. That was Chivas USA’s first win against Houston since 2006.
- Coaches record: Dominic Kinnear vs. CHV: P20 W13 L2 D7 … Wilmer Cabrera vs. HOU: first game
HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo ended their goalless run, but saw their winless streak extended to six matches in a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers on Sunday afternoon at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo are in a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 8 points from 8 games.
LAST MATCH
- The Dynamo opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Brad Davis played a perfect cross into the box, and a wide-open Will Bruin headed the cross past Timbers goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.
- But the Timbers countered in the 34rd minute. Midfielder Kalif Alhassan hit a pass into the Dynamo box that deflected off Davis and into the path of Gaston Fernandez, and he hammered a first-time effort into the upper-right corner of the goal to pull the Timbers level.
- Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made two changes to the team that fell 4-0 to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. Kofi Sarkodie and Brad Davis both came back into the side, in place of Tony Cascio and Ricardo Clark.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-4-2): Tally Hall - Kofi Sarkodie, Jermaine Taylor, A.J. Cochran, Corey Ashe - Tony Cascio (Warren Creavalle 69), Boniek Garcia, Ricardo Clark, Andrew Driver (Omar Cummings 75) - Will Bruin, Giles Barnes.
TEAM NEWS
- The Dynamo put an end to their three-game goalless run, but still saw their winless streak extended to six matches in the draw with Portland. The Dynamo shutout streak at the attacking end ended after 335 minutes, longest in MLS this season.
- “The guys really worked hard by creating some good chances. They were a little lucky on their goal, a little bit of a deflection fell in their favor, and it was a game of possession,” Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said. “I thought we had some very good chances and some good saves but unfortunately we didn’t come out with the three points but the effort was still wonderful, we defended very intelligently and it was good for us.”
- Will Bruin scored his fourth goal of the season, his first since netting three times in the opening two matches of the season, his last coming in the 1-0 win vs. Montréal on March 15.
- “It’s always good when you can score, coming off two games where we didn’t score which weren’t about a lack of chances,” said Bruin. “We’re getting our chances; it was good to see it go in this time. Obviously, we want three points but I think we played really well given the circumstance and I think it’s something that can help us get the ball rolling and get things going the right way all while getting the guys’ confidence back.”
- Brad Davis was able to return to the lineup since being forced off at halftime of the April 5 loss to FC Dallas with a hamstring injury, and collected his third assist of the season. Davis does have an assist in each of his last three appearances.
- “He’s a good player. During the run of play he wants the ball, he makes the right passes, obviously his cross to Will was very well taken,” Kinnear said. “So he was good, it’s an easy question to answer. All of a sudden we’re a better team when he’s available for us.”
- Said Davis: “Everything felt good. Happy to get 80 minutes, felt good to be back out there with my teammates and looking forward to continually progress to getting back. To be back on the field and contribute in a positive way always feels good.”
- After playing in the back four in the New York match, Warren Creavalle remained in the first team, but this time moved into a holding midfield role in place of the injured Ricardo Clark.
- “I think we showed a lot more today, I think we were the team that was pushing towards the end to get a win and obviously we’re disappointed with the draw but I think there were a lot more positives there,” said midfielder Andrew Driver.
- Midfielder Tony Cascio, on loan from the Colorado Rapids, will be out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee.
