THE BASICS
Houston Dynamo at Orlando City SC
Friday, July 8, 2016, 7:00 p.m. CT
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
BROADCAST INFORMATION
UniMás - 7:00 p.m. (CHANNEL LISTINGS | WATCH IN ENGLISH)
650 AM / Radio.com app- 7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. pregame)
Univision Radio 1010 AM - 7:00 p.m. (6:30 p.m. pregame)
PREVIEW
Two clubs looking to begin a push up their respective conference tables in the second half of the season meet in an interconference affair when Orlando City SC entertain the Houston Dynamo on Viernes de Fútbol at Camping World Stadium. Orlando City return home after seeing their five-game undefeated run put to an end, sitting right on the red line in the Eastern Conference after a 4-0 loss at FC Dallas on Monday evening. The Dynamo won for the first time in five games last weekend, now sitting in a tie at the foot of the West standings after a dramatic 1-0 win against Philadelphia Union last Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.
REFEREE: Fotis Bazakos. AR1 (bench): C.J. Morgante; AR2 (opposite): Adam Wienckowski; 4th: Ted Unkel
MLS Career: 55 games; FC/gm: 26.7; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 13; pens: 18
INJURY REPORT, PRESENTED BY HOUSTON METHODIST (as of July 6)
HOUSTON DYNAMO—QUESTIONABLE: None.
ORLANDO CITY SC—OUT: Pedro Ribeiro – back; QUESTIONABLE: Rafael Ramos – hamstring;
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME (1 meeting): Orlando City 1 win, 1 goal … Dynamo 0 wins, 0 goals … Ties 0
- AT ORLANDO: First meeting.
- LAST YEAR (MLS) 3/13: HOU 0, ORL 1 (own goal 74)
- This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.
- The teams met once in Orlando City SC’s inaugural season, the expansion club claiming a 1-0 victory March 13 at BBVA Compass Stadium on an own goal, their first win as an MLS team.
- Coaches record: Bobby Murphy vs. HOU: first game … Wade Barrett vs. ORL: first game
HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo claimed their first victory with Wade Barrett as interim head coach, hitting for a dramatic late winner for a 1-0 win against Philadelphia Union on Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo are in a tie for ninth place in the Western Conference with 17 points from 17 games.
LAST GAME
- The game-winning goal came five minutes into second-half stoppage time. From a free kick some 25 yards straight out from goal, Cristian Maidana whipped the ball around the wall and into the upper left corner of the goal, leaving Union 'keeper Andre Blake rooted to his line.
- Blake had made six saves over the course of the match, including two stops from point-blank range in the first half. Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric was credited with two saves for the clean sheet.
- Dynamo interim head coach Wade Barrett made one change to the team that fell late by a 3-2 scoreline to the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. Giles Barnes came into the team in place of Andrew Wenger.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-4-1): Tyler Deric - Jalil Anibaba, David Horst, Raul Rodriguez, DaMarcus Beasley - Collen Warner - Giles Barnes (Andrew Wenger 84), Ricardo Clark, Alex (Cristian Maidana 69), Boniek Garcia - Will Bruin (Mauro Manotas 60).
TEAM NEWS
- The Dynamo put an end to a five-game winless streak with the late victory, their first in league play since May 15, and their first since Wade Barrett took the coaching reins as interim head coach, following three draws and a loss.
- It was a fifth shutout for the Dynamo this season – and all four victories for the team have come with shutouts. The Dynamo have taken 13 of their 17 points when keeping a clean sheet.
- The goal, five minutes into second-half stoppage time, was the first time in club history the Dynamo scored directly from a free kick after the completion of the regulation 90 minutes.
- “The first thing that came to mind was where the goalie positioned himself,” said Maidana. “I saw that he was square in the middle of the goal, so I aimed for the far post. It worked out, sometimes it just works out.”
- Cristian Maidana scored his second goal of the season, his first goal since the opening game of the season, when he scored the Dynamo’s first goal in their 3-3 draw with New England. The two goals match Maidana’s single-season career-high in his three MLS seasons (also: 2014 with Philadelphia Union).
- Maidana came off the substitutes’ bench for a second consecutive match before scoring the game-winner, playing 21 minutes.
- “It was difficult for him to start on the side, but he was one of the biggest impact players on the field tonight,” said Barrett. Said Maidana: “I respect Wade’s decisions. But I knew that this game would turn out well for me. I knew that once I came in, I could make an impact.”
- Giles Barnes returned to the lineup after missing four matches to international duty for Copa América, coming into a wide attacking role and playing 84 minutes.
