THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo vs. Chivas USA
Saturday, September 21, 7:30 p.m. CT
BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas
BROADCAST INFORMATION
KPRC Local 2 - 7:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. pregame) CHANNEL LISTINGS
MLS Stream of the Week
La Ranchera 850 AM - 6:30 p.m. (6:00 p.m. pregame)
PREVIEW
The Houston Dynamo and Chivas USA renew acquaintances when the clubs meet in an interconference clash Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo put the skids on a four-match winless run last weekend, winning 1-0 at Philadelphia Union to regain a place in the top five in the Eastern Conference. Chivas USA were officially eliminated from playoff consideration last weekend, reaching a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers at StubHub Center.
REFEREES
REFEREE: Fotis Bazakos. AR1 (bench): Kermit Quisenberry; AR2 (opposite): Mark Cahen; 4th: Jair Marrufo MLS Career: 21 games; FC/gm: 25.0; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 2; pens: 5
INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY HOUSTON METHODIST
HOUSTON DYNAMO -- OUT: Brian Ownby – Right knee sprain; QUESTIONABLE: Calen Carr – Left knee; Eric Brunner – Right ankle sprain; Andrew Driver – Right calf strain;
CHIVAS USA -- OUT: Daniel Antunez – Left ACL reconstruction; Caleb Calvert – Right 1st metatarsal fracture; Marky Delgado – Left lateral meniscus tear; QUESTIONABLE: Jaime Frias – Right ankle sprain; DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY: Carlos Borja (Yellow card accumulation)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME (17 meetings): Dynamo 10 wins, 28 goals ... Chivas USA 2 wins, 12 goals ... Ties 5
- AT HOUSTON (3 meetings): Dynamo 7 wins, 18 goals ... Chivas USA 0 wins, 2 goals ... Ties 2
- The teams are meeting for the only time this season in league play.
- The Dynamo won the only meeting between the teams a year ago, a 1-0 win in Carson. When Chivas USA defeated Houston 3-0 on July 23, 2011, it was the Red-and-White’s first league victory against the Dynamo since 2006 (a span of 12 games).
- This is the first meeting between the clubs at BBVA Compass Stadium. Chivas USA ended their history at Robertson Stadium winless all-time in league play (0-7-2).
- Coaches record: Dominic Kinnear vs. CHV: P21 W12 L2 T7 ... José Luis Real vs. HOU: first game
The Houston Dynamo put an end to their winless streak after four games, defeating Philadelphia Union 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at PPL Park. The Dynamo are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 40 points from 28 matches.
LAST MATCH
- The game's lone goal came in the 53rd minute. Brad Davis swung in a free kick from 40 yards out, and Ricardo Clark was able to squeeze between two defenders to head home from from inside the penalty area.
- Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall did not have to make a single save for the match. He was beaten in the 30th minute, allowing a Keon Daniel free kick to curl into the goal, but the apparent ruled out after defender Amobi Okugo was adjudged offside.
- Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made three changes to the team that suffered a 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium. Jermaine Taylor, Ricardo Clark and Brad Davis came into the team, in place of Mike Chabala, Alexander Lopez and the departed Adam Moffat.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-3-2): Tally Hall - Warren Creavalle, Jermaine Taylor, Bobby Boswell, Kofi Sarkodie - Ricardo Clark - Jason Johnson (Brian Ownby 83), Giles Barnes (Servando Carrasco 72), Brad Davis - Will Bruin, Cam Weaver (Omar Cummings 79).
TEAM NEWS
- The Dynamo put an end to their winless streak after four matches, their second-longest winless run this season, after going seven games without a victory from May 12-June 30.
- The goal was the Dynamo first from a free kick since May 26, and their first from a deadball situation since July 13. The Dynamo have scored seven goals from set pieces this season.
- “We always try and take advantage of them,” said assistant coach Wade Barrett, who handled bench coaching duties vs. Philadelphia with Dominic Kinnear suspended. “We have guys who have really good service and have some good guys attacking the ball. For whatever reason, we haven’t gotten too many of those recently, but it was nice that we did.”
- Ricardo Clark returned to the starting lineup for the first time since coming off in the first half due to injury in the Aug. 17 game vs. Seattle, and he scored his first goal since July 6.
- Brad Davis returned to the starting lineup after missing the New York match while on international duty and recorded his first assist since Aug. 17.
- Giles Barnes played a second consecutive match in a midfield role, playing an attacking spot with Clark in a deeper-lying holding role.
- “I think having Ricardo back brings a different kind of athleticism into the team,” Barnes said. “Everyone knows that’s one of his strongest points. His athleticism to get in and around people and to get box-to-box and get winning tackles. That allows the midfielders to get a little more forward. Everyone’s got defending to do. We copy off Ricardo. He’s kind of a mouthpiece behind our movement.”
- After conceding 12 goals in their previous four matches, the Dynamo kept a clean sheet for the first time since July 6 – when they also shut out Philadelphia, 1-0.
- After missing the last three matches, Ricardo Clark returned to action, coming off the bench for the final 37 minutes in place of Adam Moffat.
- “We miss Rico, he’s a big part of this team,” Dynamo captain Brad Davis said. “We haven’t had our full team almost all year. That’s frustrating. It really is. We’ve been missing a lot of guys for a lot of time. It’s great to have Rico out there.”
- “It was one of those nights where the game, wasn’t perfect, but you have 10 other guys watching your back and that’s what a team effort is,” said goalkeeper Tally Hall. “We definitely took a couple of punches the last couple of weeks. It’s about how you respond, and I think we responded very well to the situation when we needed to.”
- After arriving from Seattle in a trade for Adam Moffat, Servando Carrasco made his Dynamo debut, coming on for the final 18 minutes.
