HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. PORTLAND TIMBERS
BBVA Compass Stadium | Houston, Texas
Saturday, September 24 | Week #29 | MLS Game #298
9 pm ET (MLS LIVE, KPDX)
A critical meeting of clubs still in the chase for places in the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs meet when the Houston Dynamo play host to the Portland Timbers on Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo come into the match sitting 11 points below the red line at the foot of the Western Conference table – but with two games in hand, following their 1-0 victory at Real Salt Lake last Saturday. The Timbers hit the road after winning back-to-back games at Providence Park, last a 2-1 victory against Philadelphia Union, pulling them into fifth place a point above the red line.
- The Dynamo put an end to a three-game winless run with Alex scoring the game’s only goal in his team’s victory against Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium.
- Diego Valeri and Fanendo Adi each scored goals set up by Darren Mattocks as the Timbers won back-to-back games in league play for the first time season, defeating Philadelphia Union 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at Providence Park.
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Valeri set up the first goal then scored the next two, including the game-winner on a penalty kick in stoppage time, as the Timbers claimed a 3-2 win June 26 at Providence Park.
- The Timbers have won three times in nine meetings all-time in the series, winning three of the last four meetings at Providence Park. The Dynamo have won two of the four meetings all-time in Houston, with two draws.
REFEREE: Juan Guzman. AR1 (bench): Claudiu Badea; AR2 (opposite): Peter Balciunas; 4th: Rubiel Vazquez
MLS Career: 76 games; FC/gm: 25.3; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 24; pens: 16
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: HOU: Alex … POR: Liam Ridgewell, Diego Chara
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: POR: Alvas Powell, Jack Jewsbury
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (9 meetings): Dynamo 3 wins, 12 goals … Timbers 3 wins, 12 goals … Ties 3
AT HOUSTON (4 meetings): Timbers 2 wins, 6 goals … Dynamo 0 wins, 3 goals … Ties 2
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Diego Valeri set up the first goal then scored the next two, including the game-winner on a penalty kick in stoppage time, as the Timbers claimed a 3-2 win June 26 at Providence Park.
- The Timbers have won three times in nine meetings all-time in the series, winning three of the last four meetings at Providence Park. The Dynamo have won two of the four meetings all-time in Houston, with two draws.
- Coaches record: Caleb Porter vs. HOU: P6 W3 L1 D2 … Wade Barrett vs. POR: P1 W0 L1 D0
LAST MEETING (MLS):
6/26: POR 3, HOU 2 (Melano 64; Valeri 82, 91+ -- Wenger 28; Bruin 30)
- The Dynamo opened the scoring in the 28th minute, when Andrew Wenger slotted home a shot from a tight angle from the right side of the box. Two minutes later, Houston doubled its lead when forward Will Bruin latched on to forward Boniek Garcia’s pass into the area, tucking his effort inside the left post.
- The Timbers began their comeback in the 63rd minute, when Lucas Melano made a well-timed diagonal run in behind the Dynamo defense, running on to a carefully placed pass from Diego Valeri then tucking his effort past Houston goalkeeper Joe Willis.
- The equalizer came in the 82nd minute of play after defender David Horst was adjudged to have handled in the box and Valeri stepped up to the spot, blasting his attempt into the top left corner. The winner then came in stoppage time, also from the penalty spot, after Melano was brought down by Willis inside the area and Valeri chipped his effort down the middle as Willis dove right.
- PORTLAND TIMBERS (4-2-3-1): Jake Gleeson - Alvas Powell (Zarek Valentin 66), Nat Borchers, Liam Ridgewell, Jermaine Taylor - Diego Chara, Ben Zemanski - Lucas Melano, Diego Valeri (Jack Jewsbury 89), Darren Mattocks (Jack McInerney 71) - Fanendo Adi.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-4-1): Tyler Deric (Joe Willis 46) - Jalil Anibaba, David Horst, Raul Rodriguez, DaMarcus Beasley - Collen Warner - Andrew Wenger (Cristian Maidana 76), Ricardo Clark, Alex, Boniek Garcia - Will Bruin (Mauro Manotas 84).
