The Basics
2019 MLS Regular Season — Week 20
Houston Dynamo at Atlanta United
Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta
July 17 — 6:00 PM CT
Broadcast Information
KUBE57 & TeleXItos
1010 AM
The Preview
The Houston Dynamo return to the road this week as they kick off a two-game road trip on Wednesday evening against Atlanta United FC, the defending MLS Champion. This is Houston’s first trip to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and only the third meeting between both clubs.
Houston will look to bounce back from their first loss at BBVA Stadium last Friday after they fell 3-1 to LAFC. ForwardRomell Quioto tallied Houston’s lone goal of the game and the Honduran international has now scored in back-to-back games. Quioto will be key in setting the tone for Houston who enter with a 6-2-1 record when scoring the first goal of the game.
The Dynamo face a quick turnaround as they travel to Toronto on Saturday for the second leg of a two-game road trip. Both matches will be broadcast live on KUBE 57 and TeleXitos 47.2.
Three Points:
- OVERCOMING ROAD WOES – Houston have faced challenges away from BBVA Stadium and enter the match with a seven-game losing streak. The Dynamo fell just short of snapping the streak against FC Cincinnati on July 6, but their second half comeback came to an end after Spencer Richey and the Cincinnati backline held firm in stoppage time. Houston has earned a result in two matches away from Space City this season – both at the beginning of the year as Houston defeated CD Guastatoya 1-0 with a late second-half strike from DaMarcus Beasley. The Dynamo earned three points on March 30 against the Colorado Rapids after Alberth Elis torched the backline throughout the pitch at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- DEFENDING CHAMPIONS DOMINANT AT HOME– The defending MLS champions have won once in their last four games and look to return to the win column after they fell 2-1 to Seattle Sounders FC in the Emerald City last Sunday. Josef Martinez, the reigning league MVP, scored his 13th goal of the season in the loss and is tied with Zlatan Ibrahimović for the second most goals scored in the league this season. Atlanta will look to Martinez to lead the charge at Mercedes-Benz Stadium where the Five Stripes have scored 17 of the team’s 28 goals this season. Since Atlanta moved from Bobby Dodd Stadium in late 2017, the club has scored 93 goals at home – 18 more goals than the next team in the same time period.
- FIREPOWER ON DISPLAY Houston and Atlanta have split the first two meetings prior to Wednesday’s showdown and have combined for nine goals in the series. The Dynamo defeated the Five Stripes 4-0 to open the 2018 regular season at BBVA Stadium with goals from Mauro Manotas and Darwin Ceren. Atlanta won the first meeting in 2017 after a hat trick from Miguel Almiron gave the Five Stripes a 4-1 victory at Bobby Dodd Stadium. With top-tier firepower on display for both squads, Wednesday’s match promises to be another entertaining contest in a series that features two teams jockeying for a playoff spot.
