The Houston Dynamo return to BBVA Stadium on Saturday to host Columbus Crew SC in the first of four matches to close the regular season. The Dynamo currently sit one point from the final playoff spot and the Crew enter Saturday’s game in third place and a handful of points from qualifying to the postseason.
Houston looks to snap a three-game winless streak after avoiding three consecutive losses last Sunday in Minnesota. The Dynamo rallied for a 2-2 draw with the Loons with goals from Dynamo Academy product Memo Rodriguez and forward Niko Hansen. Rodriguez scored his fourth goal of the season and his first since the Texas Derby showdown in Frisco on Sept. 12. Hansen scored his second goal of the season and the forward will be eligible to face his former team for the first time since joining the Dynamo midway through the 2019 season.
Houston will look to Darwin Quintero to break the Crew backline and earn the Dynamo’s fourth victory of the season at home. Quintero recorded his ninth assist of the season on Sunday and the playmaker sits one assist shy of the top mark in MLS. Defensively, the Dynamo will look to Marko Maric and Maynor Figueroa to contain an offense that has scored 30 goals this season, tied for second most in the Eastern Conference.
The Crew enter Saturday’s game with one victory in their last five games. Columbus snapped the four-game winless streak on Sunday with a 3-1 victory over NYC FC at home. The Crew are winless on the road this season and enter the match with a 0-3-4 record away from Columbus Crew Stadium.
<strong>WHO:</strong> |
<p>Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew SC</p> |
<strong>WHEN:</strong> |
<p>Saturday, Oct. 24 – 7:00 p.m. CDT</p> |
<strong>TV:</strong> |
<p>QuestTexas Ch. 55 (Glenn Davis, Eddie Robinson and Cindy Burbano) </p> |
<strong>RADIO:</strong> |
<p>TUDN Radio Houston 1010 AM (Daniel Mejia and Lester Gretsch</p> |
Here are three key points ahead of Saturday’s game:
- MEMO KEY TO PLAYOFF PUSH: Dynamo Academy product Memo Rodriguez sparked the rally on Sunday to salvage a point in Minnesota and keep Houston in the playoff race. The midfielder has combined for seven goals and assists this season and the team has a 2-1-3 record when he scores or tallies an assist. Of the four remaining teams on the Dynamo schedule, Rodriguez has scored or recorded an assist against every team except Columbus. The midfielder has only played in two games and 84 minutes against the Crew, the fewest of the four teams that remain on the Dynamo schedule.
- PATH TO POSTSEASON CONTINUES: The Dynamo enter the final four-game stretch of the season and have 12 points to play for. Houston currently sit one point from the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Three of the next four opponents for the Dynamo currently sit in a playoff position and two of the remaining games will be on the road. The Dynamo will look to snap a three-game unbeaten run on Saturday and return to a playoff spot for the first time since Sept. 14.
- ZARDES KEY TO CREW PLAYOFF RACE: Gyasi Zardes leads the team with 11 goals and four assists this season. The forward has scored 10 or more goals in three consecutive seasons after beginning his professional career with the LA Galaxy in 2013. The Dynamo backline will also need to contain Pedro Santos who leads the team with seven assists. Crew designated player Lucas Zelarayan may return to action after missing the last three games due to injury.
