Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo
2017 MLS Match Preview
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City, Kan.
Sunday, October 15 – 7:30 p.m. ET
WATCH : MLS LIVE
A quick rematch is in store for these two playoff hopefuls, as Sporting Kansas City hosts the Houston Dynamo on Sunday after the Dynamo struck a 2-1 opening salvo on Wednesday. If Houston win, they're in the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs; if SKC win OR tie, they're in. And if a few other results stack up, Sporting could be sitting on a Knockout Round bye at the end of the evening's action.
Both teams should receive a shot in the arm – or at least the bench – with the return of several players who had joined up with their national teams during the recent FIFA window. Dynamo forwards Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto return victoriously from their World Cup playoff-clinching performance for Honduras, while Matt Besler and Graham Zusi must shrug off the United States' crushing loss to Trinidad & Tobago.
Sporting Kansas City
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- Int’l Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: F - Cameron Porter (broken fibula and ligament damage in right ankle); GK - Tim Melia (right hamstring injury)
Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, left to right)
GK: Andrew Dykstra – Seth Sinovic, Erik Palmer-Brown, Ike Opara, Saad Abdul-Salaam – Jimmy Medranda, Ilie Sanchez, Roger Espinoza – Latif Blessing, Diego Rubio, Gerso Fernandes
Notes: Sporting’s 0-1 loss to Vancouver on September 30th snapped a 24-match regular season home unbeaten run (17W-7D). It also snapped a 14-game regular season home scoring streak. … Sporting’s 46.7% duel success rate against Houston on Wednesday night was their eighth lowest of the entire season.
Houston Dynamo
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: F Alberth Elis
- Int’l Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: D - George Malki (torn ACL 3/15); M - Memo Rodriguez (right knee sprain); QUESTIONABLE: Juan David Cabezas (right hamstring)
Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1; left-to-right)
GK: Tyler Deric – Dylan Remick, Leonardo, Philippe Senderos, AJ DeLaGarza – Ricardo Clark, Eric Alexander – Tomas Martinez, Alex, Andrew Wenger – Mauro Manotas
Notes: Houston have one win in their last 18 regular season road matches (9L-8D) and have been outscored 29-15 across those matches. … In 167 minutes of Philippe Senderos on the pitch this year, Houston are conceding just 0.5 goals per 90 minutes played. They are averaging 1.4 goals conceded per 90 minutes played without Senderos (2,914 minutes).
All-Time Series
Following Wednesday night’s late reverse in Houston, Sporting are now winless in their last seven regular season matches against the Dynamo (4L-3D).
- Overall: Sporting KC 5 wins (31 goals) … Houston 10 wins (38 goals) … Ties 11
- At SKC: Sporting KC 2 wins (16 goals) … Houston 4 wins (17 goals) … Ties 6
Referees
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Kermit Quisenberry, Craig Lowry
Fourth Official: Hilario Grajeda
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Rubiel Vazquez
