THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders FC
Sunday, April 10, 2016, 2:45 p.m. CT
BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas
TICKETS
BROADCAST INFORMATION
ESPN/ESPN Deportes - 3:00 p.m. (CHANNEL LISTINGS)
610 AM / Radio.com app - 2:30 p.m.
Univision Radio 1010 AM - 2:30 p.m.
PREVIEW
A pair of clubs already looking to shake off slow beginnings meet when the Houston Dynamo play host to Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday afternoon at BBVA Compass Stadium before an ESPN audience. The Dynamo return to action off their second consecutive defeat, held goalless for the first time this season in a 1-0 defeat at Vancouver Whitecaps FC two weeks ago. Sounders FC are coming off their first win of the campaign following a three-game losing slide to start the year, defeating the Montréal Impact 1-0 at CenturyLink Field.
REFEREE: Ismail Elfath. AR1 (bench): Ian Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Kathryn Nesbitt; 4th: Marcos de OliveiraMLS Career: 66 games; FC/gm: 25.0; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 17; pens: 18
INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY HOUSTON METHODIST (as of March 24)
HOUSTON DYNAMO—OUT: Collen Warner – Bi-lateral hamstring strain; Tyler Deric – R abdominal strain; DOUBTFUL: Giles Barnes – R hamstring; QUESTIONABLE: Cristian Maidana — Concussion
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC–OUT: Christian Dean — Left foot surgery; Ben McKendry — Left knee surgery; Russell Teibert — Left calf strain
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME (11 meetings): Dynamo 3 wins, 12 goals … Sounders FC 5 wins, 15 goals … Ties 3
- AT HOUSTON (5 meetings): Dynamo 3 wins, 10 goals … Sounders FC 0 wins, 5 goals … Ties 2
- RETURN MATCHES: 8/24: Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 8 p.m. CT 10/12: Seattle Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo, 9:30 p.m. CT
- LAST YEAR (MLS): 4/4: SEA 1, HOU 0 (Martins 39) 10/18: HOU 1, SEA 1 (Clark 65 – Martins 82)
- The Dynamo have never lost to Sounders FC in Houston. In five meetings all-time there, the Dynamo have won three, with two draws, including a 1-1 result last Oct. 18 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo also won a game in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Sounders FC have never lost to the Dynamo in Seattle. In six league meetings all-time, Sounders FC have won five, with one draw, outscoring Houston 10-2, following their 1-0 win last April 4 at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC also won a U.S. Open Cup match at home vs. Houston; the teams played a scoreless draw in Seattle in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Coaches record: Owen Coyle vs. SEA: P2 W0 L1 T1 … Sigi Schmid vs. HOU: P17 W6 L5 T6
HOUSTON DYNAMOThe Houston Dynamo suffered their second consecutive defeat in their last match, a 1-0 loss to Vancouver Whitecaps FC on March 26 at BC Place. The Dynamo are in a tie for eighth place in the Western Conference with 4 points from 4 games.
LAST GAME
- The game's only goal came in the 23rd minute, after Houston fullback Jalil Anibaba tripped up Vancouver's Masato Kudo as he tracked a far-post cross. Pedro Morales converted from the spot, the fourth consecutive Whitecaps FC goal scored from a penalty kick.
- Whitecaps FC goalkeeper David Ousted was credited with five saves in keeping the clean sheet, though he was also twice saved by the woodwork.
- Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle made one change to the team that fell 4-3 to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. Cristian Maidana came into the side with Boniek Garcia away on international duty.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-2-3-1): Joe Willis - Jalil Anibaba, David Horst, Raul Rodriguez, DaMarcus Beasley - Alex, Ricardo Clark - Andrew Wenger (Abdoulie Mansally 58), Cristian Maidana (Mauro Manotas 64), Leonel Miranda - Will Bruin (Rob Lovejoy 81)
TEAM NEWS
- The Dynamo suffered a second consecutive defeat in the loss at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, their second loss in a row on the road, after opening the season with a draw and a victory at BBVA Compass Stadium.
- “It's hard to sit here with no points from that game given the performance we put in during the match. On the road, as we know it could be a very cruel game as it happened tonight. … It's hard to take but we know what we have inside, we can play, created chances, hit the bar, post and give ourselves opportunities,” said Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle.
- The Dynamo were also shut out in the attack for the first time this season, after scoring 11 goals in their first three games (an MLS record).
- “What we need to do is to continue to perform like that. Not for 75 minutes but the duration if it's 95 minutes. If we do that, the showing will be in points after points,” Coyle said. “We have a good team, a young team that is growing and I think getting better. So there's a lot to be pleased with moving forward. The disappointment is that we're sitting here with no points from the game because we deserved to take something from it.”
- Cristian Maidana returned to the lineup after suspension, coming into the attacking midfield role with Boniek Garcia away on international duty. Garcia scored a goal for the catrachos against El Salvador.
- “He is a great player, great tactician. He created chances as you saw tonight,” said Coyle. “Again, the young lads came in as well and they have a bright future as well. 'Chaco' will hopefully be ready for a full game and play the duration of a whole match.”
- Abdoulie Mansally made his Dynamo debut, coming on for the final 32 minutes in a midfield role. Mansally came over from Real Salt Lake during the offseason.
- Mauro Manotas came off the substitutes’ bench for a third time in four matches this season, replacing Andrew Wenger, who did not last the full 90 minutes for the first time season.
- “[Wenger] knew that he had a bit of sickness and at halftime he tried. He has great spirit, we've got a great group, and unfortunately I couldn't get him on. He was out of the game, really. We wanted to protect the player as we always do,” said Coyle. “Will [Bruin] worked his socks off, with [Mauro] Manotas going up top he is a wonderful young player. I like [Leonel] Miranda, we have options and we like to use them. That's what happened tonight.”
- The Dynamo were also without Erick Torres (international duty with Mexico U-23s) and Giles Barnes (injured).
- We hit the bar, we hit the post, again, we gave ourselves opportunities. It probably should have resulted in some goals, I accept that, because we had a number of opportunities to get them. I think we showed that we're very exciting and appealing to the eye,” Coyle said. “Again, missing [Erick] Torres, Boniek Garcia, Giles Barnes, Tyler Deric and you could tell at the early part of the game. … That's what happens in the international calendar, unfortunately.”
