THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo at Montreal Impact
Saturday, August 6, 2016, 6:30 p.m. CT
Stade Saputo, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
BROADCAST INFORMATION
ROOT SPORTS Alternate - 6:00 p.m. (CHANNEL LISTINGS)
650 AM / Radio.com app- 6:00 p.m.
Univision Radio 1010 AM - 6:00 p.m.
PREVIEW
The Montréal Impact will look to solidify their standing in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, when they take on the Houston Dynamo for the only time this season, Saturday evening at Stade Saputo. The Impact return home following a 1-1 draw at D.C. United last Sunday, now sitting in a tie for fourth place in the conference, four points above the red line. The Dynamo saw their winless run extended to four matches in a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at BBVA Compass Stadium, still sitting at the foot of the Western Conference.
REFEREE: Marcos de Oliveira. AR1 (bench): Frank Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Anthony Vasoli; 4th: Robert Sibiga
MLS Career: 7 games; FC/gm: 26.4; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 1; pens: 2
INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY HOUSTON METHODIST (as of July 6)
HOUSTON DYNAMO—OUT: DaMarcus Beasley – left knee surgery; Tyler Deric – left abdominal strain; DOUBTFUL: Agus – left knee sprain; Raúl Rodríguez – right adductor strain; SUSPENDED: Alex – caution accumulation; INTERNATIONAL ABSENCE: Erick Torres – Olympics (Mexico)
MONTREAL IMPACT—OUT: Andres Romero – knee injury; SUSPENDED: Didier Drogba – red card
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME (10 meetings): Impact 4 wins, 17 goals … Dynamo 5 wins, 14 goals … Ties 1
- AT MONTREAL (4 meetings): Impact 4 wins, 14 goals … Dynamo 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 0
- LAST YEAR (MLS): 4/11: HOU 3, MTL 0 (Barnes 15; Clark 72; Lovejoy 80)
- The Dynamo have won the last two meetings in the series, including a 3-0 victory last April 11 at BBVA Compass Stadium in the only contest between the clubs.
- The visiting team has never won in the three-year history of the series between the clubs. The road team has come away with points just once – after a 1-1 draw at BBVA Compass Stadium in 2011.
- The Impact have won all four meetings in the series at Stade Saputo, including a 3-0 win June 29, 2014, the last encounter in Montréal. The Dynamo have won the last five meetings between the teams in Houston in all competitions, including in the Knockout Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2013. The Impact have won all four meetings all-time in Montréal.
- Coaches record: Mauro Biello vs. HOU: first meeting … Wade Barrett vs. MTL: first meeting
HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo saw their winless run extended to four games, playing to a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo are in 10th place in the Western Conference with 20 points from 21 games.
LAST GAME
- The Dynamo opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time, Alex picking up a deflected ball before weaving through the 'Quakes defense and curling a shot past David Bingham from just outside the area.
- But the Earthquakes found the leveler just before the hour. As the defense pulled out as the ball went to the right flank, Chris Wondolowski snuck in behind the backline to knock home a Cordell Cato cross first-time to tie the match.
- Dynamo interim head coach Wade Barrett made three changes to the team that reached a goalless draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BBVA Compass Stadium. Abdoulie Mansally came into the back four in place of Raul Rodriguez, and Ricardo Clark and Cristian Maidana came into the side, replacing Andrew Wenger and Erick Torres.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-4-1): Joe Willis - Sheanon Williams, David Horst, Jalil Anibaba, Abdoulie Mansally - Collen Warner (Eric Alexander 61) - Boniek Garcia, Ricardo Clark (Andrew Wenger 84), Alex, Cristian Maidana - Will Bruin (Mauro Manotas 72).
TEAM NEWS
- The Dynamo had their winless run extended to four matches with a third consecutive draw in that time, with the result vs. the Earthquakes.The Alex goal was the first scored by the Dynamo since July 2, after three consecutive shutouts. It was the first goal in 315 minutes of play, the fifth-longest offensive shutout streak in MLS this season.
- The Earthquakes goal was the first allowed by the Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium since April 15, a 4-1 defeat by the LA Galaxy, after five consecutive home shutouts. The 550 minutes without conceding was the second-longest home shutout streak in MLS this season (New York Red Bulls, 584 minutes).
- “I don’t think we performed up to the standard we should have in the first half. It was the first time I felt like we were just off in the second half. We looked fragile against it and it was the first time I felt that. If I could put my finger on exactly what it was then you know, we would have tried to alter that in the second half. Of course we made a push at the end, we had a couple of chances at the end, but for me – we really let one slip away,” said Dynamo head coach Wade Barrett.
- Alex scored his second goal of the season, his first since March 19, matching his single-season career-high set twice previously in his five MLS seasons. Alex will now miss out on the Montréal match through yellow card accumulation.
- “I was happy that we got the goal. I talked about Alex [Lima] and Ricardo [Clark] joining that front line – at least one of them and getting into dangerous positions. I was happy that it happened,” said Barrett.
- Cristian Maidana made his first start since June 18, coming into a wide midfield role and playing the full 90 minutes. Maidana had come off the substitutes’ bench for five consecutive matches.
- Eric Alexander made his Dynamo debut, coming on as a substitute for the final 29 minutes after his arrival from the Montréal Impact.
- “I’m asking for better competition from the guys in midfield to push themselves. I’m going to ask for Andrew [Wenger] and Boniek [Garcia] to compete, I want them to push each other. I want for Eric Alexander to push Ricardo and Lima, I want for there to be competition there. I want Chaco [Cristian Maidana] to continue to be in the conversation every single week, he is a wonderful player. I want those guys to compete for those spots, so I’m going to ask more from everyone,” Barrett said.
- Ricardo Clark returned to the lineup following a one-match absence, as the Dynamo returned to a lone-striker tactical setup. The Dynamo were without striker Erick Torres, who left to join the Mexican team for the Rio Olympic Games.
- “We’ve lost Erick to the Olympics now. Just looking at the availability – I know we have Mauro [Manotas] and I’m going to ask more of Mauro now. That’s something we might look at,” said Barrett. “I thought for this game, I thought this was the right way to go and I talked to those guys about one of those guys joining the front line. When we made that happen we looked pretty good. I don’t think we made it happen enough and we just need a little greater balance.”
- The Dynamo made two acquisitions before the closing of the secondary transfer window, acquiring Costa Rica international defender Keyner Brown on loan from CS Herediano, and midfielder José Escalante on loan from Rio Grande Valley FC of the USL.
