THE BASICS:
Houston Dynamo at Sporting Kansas City
Saturday, March 7 – 7:30 p.m. CDT
TV: KUBE 57 - TelExitos 47.2
RADIO: Univision Radio 1010 AM
MATCH CENTER
THE PREVIEW
The Houston Dynamo travel to the Midwest for their first road trip of the 2020 season as they visit a familiar Western Conference foe – Sporting Kansas City. The Dynamo look to take the momentum from Saturday’s home opener against the LA Galaxy on the road to capture their first victory of the season.
Houston will look to snap a five-game winless streak in the all-time series against Kansas City on Saturday. The Dynamo claimed all three points when they edged past Kansas City 2-1 on Oct. 11, 2017 at BBVA Stadium. Houston won the season-series that year as they played Sporting to a 0-0 draw the following weekend at Children’s Mercy Park. An early goal from Johnny Russel gave Kansas City all three points at home in the last meeting between these teams on Aug. 31, 2019.
Houston’s defense held firm last Saturday against one of the most dynamic front lines in the league that features U.S. Men’s National Team forward Sebastian Lleget, Argentine international Cristian Pavon and the all-time leader in goals scored for the Mexican National Team, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez. Maynor Figueroa and Kiki Struna patrolled the heart of the backline and the Slovenian’s effort earned him Team of the Week honors.
Offensively, defender Zarek Valentin found forward Mauro Manotas inside the box for the equalizer in the second half. Manotas turned away from goal and beat an oncoming defender and David Bingham with a shot to the bottom corner of the far post. Houston dominated possession throughout the match and finished with 60 percent of the ball in their opening match of the season.
The Dynamo return to BBVA Stadium on March 14 as they host the reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC at 7:30 p.m.
THREE POINTS
FIRST TEST AGAINST FAMILIAR FACE – Tab Ramos will coach against a life-long teammate and colleague in Peter Vermes. The Dynamo head coach played with Vermes at the youth and professional level, both in the United States and for a year in Spain. Ramos and Vermes also represented the United States at the 1994 World Cup. This is the first meeting between the former teammates who also shared the pitch in MLS play.
MANOTAS ON TARGET FOR 50 – Mauro Manotas is one goal away from reaching 50 with the Dynamo in regular season play. With the goal, the Colombian forward would be the third Dynamo player to reach the milestone and he would tie Will Bruin for the second most goals scored for the club in regular season play. The 24-year-old would also be the youngest Dynamo player in club history to reach the milestone after both Will Bruin and Brian Ching reached the 50-goal mark after they turned 25.
KANSAS CITY LOOK TO BUILD ON WEEK 1 - Sporting opened the 2020 MLS season with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Pacific Northwest. Two newcomers, Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda, led Kansas City to victory and Erik Hurtado cemented the victory with a goal in second half stoppage time. Pulido joined Kansas City in the offseason as a designated player after he claimed the Golden Boot with Chivas de Guadalajara during the 2019 LigaMX Apertura. Kinda joined Sporting on a one-year loan from Beitar Jerusalem.
UT PHYSICIANS INJURY REPORT
OUT:
Jose Bizama - Right Ankle
Marcelo Palomino - Back
QUESTIONABLE:
Alberth Elis - Right Thigh
Victor Cabrera - Right Hip
Darwin Quintero - Right Thigh
