The Dynamo end the three-game road trip at 8 p.m. CT tonight at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado. The game will be broadcast live on ROOT SPORTS Southwest and can be heard on Yahoo Sports Radio 1560 AM and in Spanish on La Ranchera 850 AM and 101.7 FM. Here are some notes ahead of the game.
• After playing on turf in consecutive road games at New England and Portland, the Dynamo face their third straight road test in difficult conditions with the thin air of playing over 5,000 feet above sea level.
• Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle carries continued injury concerns into tonight’s game. Raul Rodriguez (left heel contusion) and Kofi Sarkodie (right knee bone bruise) picked up injuries in Portland and are questionable tonight. Ricardo Clark, has missed the last three games with a left hamstring strain but is now probable after participating in training this week. DaMarcus Beasley missed the Portland game with a left calf strain and remains questionable while Giles Barnes is also questionable after missing Portland with right Achilles tendonitis.
• In midfield, Rasheed Olabiyi and Nate Sturgis have each started once game in place of Clark over the last two games and both are options for Coyle tonight, along with Luis Garrido, who has started three straight matches.
• For Colorado, forward Luis Solignac (hamstring) and defender Jared Watts (foot) are both out while midfielder Lucas Pittinari (hamstring) remains an injury doubt.
• The Rapids have scored the fewest goals in MLS (21) but are tied for the fewest allowed (25) through 24 games.
• Colorado has struggled at home (3-5-4, 13 points) and have actually gained more points (14) away from Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
• The Dynamo are seeking their first regular-season win against the Rapids since April 19, 2009, a nine-game (0-5-4) winless run against Colorado. Houston’s last win in Colorado was on October 4, 2008.
• For the seventh straight game, the Dynamo have several available players on yellow-card warning: Ricardo Clark, Kofi Sarkodie, Luis Garrido, Raul Rodriguez and Sheanon Williams would be suspended for Saturday’s home game against Vancouver if they receive a caution tonight
• For Colorado, Bobby Burling, Drew Moor and Axel Sjoberg are on yellow-card warning.
