San Jose Earthquakes vs. Houston Dynamo | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Benjamin Baer

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Houston Dynamo
2017 MLS Regular Season
Avaya Stadium – San Jose, Calif.
Saturday, September 16 – 10:30 pm ET
WATCH: MLS LIVE

Coming off their first home loss of the season, the Houston Dynamo will enter their matchup against the San Jose Earthquakes in jeopardy of dropping below the playoff line for the first time this season.

The Dynamo lost to the Colorado Rapids last Saturday night 1-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium and currently sit in fifth place in the Western Conference on 38 points. The Earthquakes are just two points behind them, having played one more game. San Jose aren't exactly flying high either, having lost 4-0 to Toronto FC on Saturday.

The Quakes have been much better at home rather than on the road under head coach Chris Leitch, winning four of their five matches at Avaya Stadium. They will look to continue that trend and push above the playoff line against a team who has just one road win in 2017.

San Jose Earthquakes

Suspended: M Anibal Godoy (yellow card accumulation), M Darwin Ceren (red card)
Int’l Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D Harold Cummings (leg surgery), D Marvell Wynne (heart abnormality), D Francois Affolter (hamstring injury); QUESTIONABLE: D Nick Lima (thigh injury)

Projected Starting XI (3-4-2-1): Andrew Tarbell — Kofi Sarkodie, Florian Jungwirth, Andres Imperiale — Vako, Fatai Alashe, Jackson Yueill, Shea Salinas — Chris Wondolowski, Tommy Thompson — Marco Ureña

Notes: The Quakes concluded a three-game road swing on Saturday at Toronto. They were shutout for the second time in their last three games in that contest, their fourth attacking shutout in their last eight matches.

Houston Dynamo

Suspended: M Alex (yellow card accumulation)
Int’l Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D George Malki (torn ACL), M Charlie Ward (dislocated right patella)

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3): Tyler Deric— A.J. DeLaGarza, Adolfo Machado, Philippe Senderos, DaMarcus Beasley — Juan David Cabezas, Ricardo Clark, Tomas Martinez — Alberth Elis, Erick "Cubo" Torres, Romell Quioto

Notes: The Dynamo have won two of the three all-time meetings between the teams at Avaya Stadium, including a 2-1 win last Aug. 19 in their last encounter in San Jose. The Quakes have won once at BBVA Compass Stadium in six meetings, a 1-0 win in 2015.

All-Time Series

Overall: Dynamo 9 wins (24 goals) … Earthquakes 9 wins (28 goals) … Ties 2
At San Jose: Earthquakes 5 wins (15 goals) … Dynamo 4 wins (11 goals) … Ties 1