THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo at Seattle Sounders
Friday, March 16, 9 p.m. CT
CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
All-time series: Dynamo tied 2-2-2 (Seattle leads 2-0-1 at home)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
NBC Sports Network - 9 p.m. (Comcast: 49/HD 649; AT&T Uverse: 640/HD 1640; DirecTV: 603; Dish: 151)
KPRC 950 - 8:30 p.m.
La Ranchera 850 - 8:30 p.m.
PREVIEW
A pair of clubs that developed a fierce rivalry in the Western Conference meet for the only time this season when the Seattle Sounders and Houston Dynamo put their undefeated records on the line Friday night at CenturyLink Field. The Sounders got their 2012 season off to a quality start with a 3-1 win against Toronto FC last weekend. The Dynamo have started their long road swing with two 1-0 wins on the trot, last weekend defeating San Jose.
REFEREE
Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Ian Anderson; JAR (opposite): Fabio Tovar; 4th: Jasen Anno MLS Career: 127 games; FC/gm: 24.9; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 47; pens: 47
INJURY REPORT PRESENTED BY THE METHODIST HOSPITAL SYSTEM
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC – OUT: GK Josh Ford (knee pain); DF Andrew Duran (knee surgery); DF Michael Tetteh (hamstring); MF Mauro Rosales (knee injury); FW O’Brian White (leg surgery); MF Steve Zakuani (leg fracture); DOUBTFUL: FW Eddie Johnson (hip injury) ... HOUSTON DYNAMO -- PROBABLE: DF Corey Ashe (L hamstring strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES
SEA: Babayele Sodade (Canada U-23) ... HOU: Kofi Sarkodie (USA U-23)
LAST YEAR (MLS)
- 3/25: SEA 1, HOU 1 (Zakuani 80 – Cameron 42); 7/30: HOU 3, SEA 1 (Clark 7; Ching 23, 70 – Fernandez 37)
- This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.
- Sounders FC have never lost to the Dynamo in their CenturyLink Field home. Seattle has won two of the three league games (with one draw); the teams also played to a draw in Seattle in the 2009 Western Conference Semifinals.
- In nine all-time meetings, including the two games in the MLS Cup Playoffs and a U.S. Open Cup semifinal, the road team has never taken the full points.
- Coaches record: Sigi Schmid vs. HOU: P12 W3 L4 D5 ... Dominic Kinnear vs. SEA: P6 W2 L2 D2
