THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake
Saturday, May 14, 2016, 7:15 p.m. CT
BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas
BROADCAST INFORMATION
ROOT SPORTS - 7:00 p.m. (CHANNEL LISTINGS)
610 AM / Radio.com app - 7:00 p.m.
Univision Radio 1010 AM - 7:00 p.m.
PREVIEW
The Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake meet for a second time in the last three weeks when the Western Conference clubs face off Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo sit at the foot of the conference table, with just one win in their last eight outings following a 3-1 loss at the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend. Real have lost twice in their last three games following an undefeated start to the campaign, coming off a 1-0 loss at the Colorado Rapids last weekend. RSL took a 2-1 win when the clubs met April 30 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
REFEREE: Juan Guzman. AR1 (bench): Eric Boria; AR2 (opposite): Adam Garner; 4th: Younes Marrakchi
MLS Career: 66 games; FC/gm: 25.4; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 21; pens: 15
INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY HOUSTON METHODIST (as of May 9)
HOUSTON DYNAMO—None.
REAL SALT LAKE—QUESTIONABLE: Aaron Maund – right hamstring; Omar Holness – shoulder separation; Phanuel Kavita – right MCL; Boyd Okwuonu – concussion; Emery Welshman – hip flexor; PROBABLE: Javier Morales – broken ribs; Olmes Garcia – right ankle; Sunday Stephen – right ankle; Juan Manuel Martinez – right quad; Joao Plata – hip flexor;
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME (22 meetings): Dynamo 9 wins, 30 goals … Real 8 wins, 35 goals … Ties 5
- AT HOUSTON (11 meetings): Dynamo 8 wins, 25 goals … Real 2 wins, 22 goals … Ties 1
- FUTURE MATCH: 9/17: Real Salt Lake vs. Houston Dynamo, 7:30 p.m. MT
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season, the second time in two weeks. Jordan Allen netted a second-half equalizer, then set up Yura Movsisyan for the game-winner for a 2-1 RSL victory April 30 at Rio Tinto Stadium. It was Real’s fifth consecutive victory over the Dynamo, dating back to 2013.
- Real have won on their last two visits to Houston – their first wins ever there. They suffered eight defeats and one draw in their first nine road games against the Dynamo. RSL has taken points from their last eight home games vs. Houston, with five victories in that time.
- Coaches record: Jeff Cassar vs. HOU: P4 W4 L0 T0 … Owen Coyle vs. RSL: P3 W0 L3 T0
HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo weren’t able to build upon a first win in seven matches, falling 3-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday evening at Avaya Stadium. The Dynamo are in 10th place in the Western Conference with 8 points from 10 games.
LAST GAME
- The Quakes opened the scoring just three minutes in, as Chris Wondolowski sent in a low cross from the right flank that Alberto Quintero got a touch to in front of goal after racing to beat the Dynamo defenders, the ball taking a wicked bounce before trickling inside the right post.
- The Dynamo pulled even two minutes before halftime. A long-range shot was parried by Quakes goalkeeper David Bingham, but Ricardo Clark ran onto the ball and unleashed a wicked first-time effort that flew unimpeded into the net.
- The Quakes regained the lead five minutes after the break, as Alberto Quintero and Anibal Godoy played a one-two on the left side of the area which Godoy finished past Deric.
- Quintero nabbed his second goal of the night in the 70th minute, when Wondolowski saw an effort blocked but, surrounded by three defenders, slid a short pass to Quintero all alone in front of goal.
- The Dynamo's night went from bad to worse in the 79th minute, when goalkeeper Tyler Deric was sent off for denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity, and defender Jalil Anibaba had to go in goal because Houston had already used all three substitutes on the night.
- Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle made two changes to the team that defeated Sporting Kansas City 2-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Abdoulie Mansally came in at fullback for DaMarcus Beasley, and Will Bruin started up top in place of Erick Torres.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-2-3-1): Tyler Deric (ejected 79) - Jalil Anibaba, David Horst, Agus, Abdoulie Mansally - Ricardo Clark, Alex - Andrew Wenger (Leonel Miranda 59), Cristian Maidana (Boniek Garcia 58), Giles Barnes - Will Bruin (Erick Torres 59).
TEAM NEWS
- The Dynamo suffered their fourth loss in the last five matches, and their sixth out of the last eight (dating back to March 19), with the loss to San Jose.
- It was also a fifth loss in five away matches for the Dynamo this season, the only team in MLS this season without a point on their travels. The Dynamo have not won on the road for their last 13 matches, dating back to July 18 of last year, the second-longest road winless run in club history (longest: 15 games, March 25-Sept. 14, 2011).
- “They battled away,” Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle said. “They showed a lot of spirit at 3-1, because it’s easy for you to feel sorry for yourself and that becomes four or five [goals allowed].”
- Ricardo Clark scored the lone Dynamo goal, his second of the season, his first since March 12. Clark has scored at least one goal in each of his 11 MLS seasons; he recorded a single-season career-high eight goals a year ago.
- Tyler Deric made his third start of the season – and was sent off for a second time (also shown a red card after 18 minutes of the April 23 match vs. Columbus). Deric has started three of the last four matches in goal.
- Jalil Anibaba went in between the posts for the final 11 minutes, as the Dynamo had used all three available substitutes. Anibaba became the 11th outfield player in MLS history – and the second in as many weeks – to step in between the posts during a game.
- “It was just a reaction,” Anibaba said. “We were all trying to do what we could to get ourselves back in the game. There was nothing more to it than that.”
- The Dynamo conceded three goals, their fourth game allowing three goals or more in 10 starts this season. The Dynamo have allowed 19 goals on the season, tied for third-most in MLS; their 1.90 goals against average is the highest in the league thus far.
- “Just learn from our mistakes,” Anibaba said. “I’ve always said that letting in goals is a collective thing, collective breakdowns, not just the back line, goalkeeper or just one player. If you look at all the goals we’ve given up, it’s not just one person. As long as we understand that and take it upon ourselves to improve from a defensive standpoint, we can always turn it around.”
