Houston Dynamo and Dash welcome perennial title contenders to BBVA Stadium

The Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash return to BBVA Stadium this weekend to host two perennial title contenders.

The Dynamo host Sporting Kansas City on Saturday in the fourth and final meeting between both clubs during the regular season. Houston looks to claim the season series, with a victory or draw, for the first time since 2017.

Houston closed a two-game road trip last Saturday with a draw after Darwin Quintero found Maynor Figueroa at the far post for his second goal of the season. Quintero will be a key player on Saturday and he leads the team in assists with seven and goals with six. The Colombian forward was crucial in securing three points on Aug. 25 when the Dynamo claimed their first victory of the season and the first of back-to-back victories over Kansas City.

Kansas City enters Saturday’s match with only one victory in their last five games. Perter Vermes’ squad did not play last weekend after their match with the Colorado Rapids was postponed due to four positive COVID tests reported by the Rapids. Kansas City currently sit in third place in the Western Conference, despite their challenges, and are only four points behind Seattle and Portland who are tied for the top spot in the conference.

The Dash is set to host North Carolina Courage for the team’s final home match of the year as they play the second to last game in the 2020 Verizon Community Shield. Houston visited North Carolina on Sept. 12 when they fell to the Courage in a 3-4 showdown. The Dash, who captured the team’s first league title in club history on July 26, will look to defeat the 2019 NWSL Champions for the first time since the Courage joined the league in 2018.

The Dynamo will host FC Dallas in the next leg of the Texas Derby on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at BBVA Stadium. The Dash will travel to Florida on Oct. 9 for their final game in the NWSL Fall Series against the Orlando Pride.

 Here are three key points ahead of the matches this weekend:

1. DYNAMO BEGIN OCTOBER GAUNTLET: The Dynamo will begin an eight-game stretch against Kansas City that concludes on the road in Frisco on Halloween. This stretch will see the Dynamo host three of the first four games at BBVA Stadium prior to a congested road schedule. Houston will look to capitalize on their form at home as they enter this stretch unbeaten at BBVA Stadium with a 2-0-3 record. Regional travel will limit the trek over that stretch as Houston navigate road trips to Minnesota, Miami, Los Angeles and Dallas. The ninth and final game of the recently announced schedule will see the Dynamo close the regular season at home against the Colorado Rapids on Nov. 8.
   
2. DASH MAINTAIN BALANCED APPROACH: Offensively, the Dash look to attack with midfielder Shea Groom, who leads the team in goals scored with four and three assists, and last week’s NWSL Player of the Week, Sophie Schmidt, has scored a goal in each of the two games in the Fall series so far. In goal, co-captain Jane Campbell will look to earn the fifth shutout of the year, having kept clean sheets against Chicago Red Stars, OL Reign, Portland Thorns and Utah Royals at the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.
   
3. CLUB ANNOUNCES VOTING INITIATIVE: The Dynamo, Dash and the Harris County Clerk office announced earlier this week that BBVA Stadium will serve as a Vote Center for the 2020 Presidential General Election on Nov. 3. Voting booths will be located at Audi Sport Club on the West side of the stadium, serving as the entrance of the vote center. The club is the latest Houston organization to partner with Rally The Vote, a nonpartisan coalition composed over 40 professional sports franchises teaming up to urge fans to register to vote and participate in elections.