Preview: Dynamo vs. New England

DL_May18_NewEnglandRevolution_KPRC


THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo vs New England Revolution
Saturday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. CT
BBVA Compass Stadium


BROADCAST INFORMATION
KPRC Local 2 - 7:30 p.m. (7 p.m. pregame)
Yahoo! Sports Radio 1560 AM - 7:30 p.m. (7 p.m. pregame)
La Ranchera 850 AM - 7:30 p.m. (7 p.m. pregame)


PREVIEW
Having had their record home undefeated streak put to an end, the Houston Dynamo will to start another when they play host to the New England Revolution on Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo lost in their new stadium for the first time ever last weekend, dropping a 1-0 decision to Sporting Kansas City. The Revolution hit the road following a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls at Gillette Stadium last weekend.


REFEREES
Edvin Jurisevic. AR1 (bench): George Gansner; AR2 (opposite): Frank Anderson; 4th: Armando Villarreal; MLS Career: 57 games; FC/gm: 22.5; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 4; pens: 7


INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY THE METHODIST HOSPITAL SYSTEM

HOUSTON DYNAMO -- OUT: Calen Carr – Left knee; Omar Cummings – Right knee; QUESTIONABLE: Tyler Deric – Left ankle; Cam Weaver – lower back


NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION -- OUT: Kevin Alston (Disable List / illness) A.J. Soares (Right hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: Kelyn Rowe (right calf tightness) Jose Goncalves (right adductor tightness)


HEAD-TO-HEAD

  • ALL-TIME (14 meetings): Dynamo 3 wins, 14 goals … Revolution 6 wins, 18 goals … Ties 5
  • AT HOUSTON (7 meetings): Dynamo 2 wins, 5 goals … Revolution 4 wins, 7 goals … Ties 1
  • LAST YEAR (MLS): 5/19: NE 2, HOU 2 (Sene 26, 57 – Bruin 32; Camargo 87)
  • The Dynamo have won the last two games between the teams in Houston, including a 2-0 victory last Sept. 29 in the first game at BBVA Compass Stadium. Those are their only two home wins lifetime vs. the Revolution; the Revs had won on four consecutive trips to Houston.
  • The last two meetings at Gillette Stadium have ended in draws, including a 2-2 result last year in the only encounter between the clubs.
  • The teams have played for three cups. They met in back-to-back MLS Cup Finals in 2006 and 2007, the Dynamo winning on both occasions (on penalty kicks in MLS Cup 2006; 2-1 in MLS Cup 2007). They also met in the 2008 SuperLiga final (won by New England on penalties).
  • Coaches record: Dominic Kinnear vs. NE: P19 W6 L6 D7 … Jay Heaps vs. HOU: P2 W0 L1 D1


HOUSTON DYNAMO

The Houston Dynamo saw their long home undefeated streak finally come to an end, Sporting Kansas City getting the game’s only goal for a victory Sunday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo are in a tie for second place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points from 11 matches.


LAST MATCH

  • The game's lone goal came after 73 minutes. SKC fullback Seth Sinovic found Aurelien Collin on a long throwin into the penalty area and he flicked the ball past Houston goalkeeper Tally Hall, despite the best efforts of Corey Ashe to clear the shot off the line.
  • KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen made three saves for seventh shutout of the season. Sporting became the first visiting team to win at BBVA Compass Stadium, and the first to win in Houston since June 18, 2011.
  • Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made one change to the team that rolled to a 4-0 triumph against D.C. United at RFK Stadium. Ricardo Clark came back into the team in place of Giles Barnes
  • HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-4-1): Tally Hall - Kofi Sarkodie (Brian Ching 77), Jermaine Taylor (Eric Brunner 46), Bobby Boswell, Corey Ashe - Adam Moffat (Jason Johnson 77) - Boniek Garcia, Brad Davis, Ricardo Clark, Andrew Driver - Will Bruin.



TEAM NEWS

  • The Sporting KC victory put an end to the Dynamo’s home undefeated streak at 36 games in all competitions, and 30 games in MLS league matches. Both streaks are Major League Soccer records.
  • “I’ve said this since you guys have started talking about the streak, it’s given teams that come in here more] motivation,” center back Bobby Boswell said. “Have you ever seen a team win a game and have a huddle after the game and go run around screaming in the tunnel and stuff like that? I haven’t. Obviously they feel they’ve accomplished something great. Credit to them for getting the result, but it’s not going to break us as a team.”
  • Added Dynamo winger Andrew Driver: “I think that shows how well we've been doing if a team comes here and celebrates like they've won the whole thing. It shows we're a big scalp for teams and we're doing something right.”
  • The Sporting KC home loss followed a coast-to-coast road trip that saw Dynamo victories at the LA Galaxy and D.C. United. Following the New England match, the Dynamo hit the road again for three consecutive matches at Kansas City, Columbus and Montréal.
  • “We went coast-to-coast. Six out of nine points, that’s not an easy schedule. We are definitely happy with that. Do we want more? Absolutely we want more,” said midfielder Brad Davis. “But we pushed and like I said, we are not happy right now, but this is one we have to put in the back of our heads. We have a week to recover so hopefully we’ll get back to a healthy squad next week and get back after it.”
  • The Dynamo were without striker Giles Barnes, who was forced after just about a half-hour in the D.C. United match. With Barnes out of the side, Kinnear went with Will Bruin as the lone out-and-out striker.
  • Ricardo Clark was able to return to the side after missing the United match with a left adductor strain.
  • “We knew it was going to be a physical battle. I think that the travel and the road games definitely had some effect obviously with injuries,” said Boswell. “Like I said, it’s all about how we rebound and where we go from here. I like this group. I think we’ve got a pretty experienced group and pretty levelheaded guys.”