HOUSTON DYNAMO vs MONTRÉAL IMPACT
BBVA COMPASS STADIUM, Houston, Texas
Sept. 6, 2014 (WEEK 26, MLS Game #233)
7:30 p.m. CT (CSN-Hou; TVA)

The Houston Dynamo and Montréal Impact meet for the third time this season in a crucial match for both clubs’ postseason ambitions when they face off Saturday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium. Both teams find themselves below the red line in the Eastern Conference, the Dynamo five points behind fifth place and the final berth, and the Impact a further eight points back. Both teams are coming off wins, the Dynamo putting an end to their club-record losing skid with a 3-1 win at Sporting KC, while the Impact won a second successive home game, 2-0 vs. Columbus.

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REFEREE: Fotis Bazakos. AR1 (bench): Chris Strickland; AR2 (opposite): Matthew Nelson; 4th: Ismail Elfath
MLS Career: 31 games; FC/gm: 25.7; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 6; pens: 10

SUSPENDED: HOU: Kofi Sarkodie (caution accumulation; through Sept. 7) … MTL: Hassoun Camara (through Sept. 7)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: HOU: Ricardo Clark … MTL: Karl Ouimette
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: HOU: Will Bruin … MTL: Hernan Bernardello, Matteo Ferrari, Felipe Martins, Andres Romero, Dilly Duka, Krzysztof Krol
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (8 meetings): Dynamo 3 wins, 8 goals … Impact 4 wins, 15 goals … Ties 1
AT HOUSTON (4 meetings): Dynamo 3 wins, 6 goals … Impact 0 wins, 1 goals … Ties 1

2014 (MLS)
3/15: HOU 1, MTL 0 (Bruin 40)
6/29: MTL 3, HOU 0 (McInerney 41, 75; Di Vaio 79)

• The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Jack McInerney scored twice and Marco Di Vaio added a late goal as the Impact took a 3-0 win June 29 at Stade Saputo. Will Bruin scored the game’s only goal to lead the Dynamo to victory March 15 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
• The Dynamo have not lost in all five lifetime meetings in all competitions at BBVA Compass Stadium, winning the last three, including the meeting in the Knockout Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs last season.
• The Impact have won all four meetings lifetime in Montréal, outscoring the Dynamo 10-0 over the last three meetings.
• Coaches record: Dominic Kinnear vs. MTL: P8 W3 L4 D1 … Frank Klopas vs. HOU: P9 W2 L2 D5

LAST MEETING (MLS)

• The opener came in the 42nd minute. Pushing forward down the left, fullback Eric Miller curled a perfect cross to Jack McInerney, who had ghosted in unmarked in the box, and his header easily found the back of the net.
• McInerney added a splendid second goal in the 75th minute. Justin Mapp crossed the ball from the right flank in the general direction of McInerney, who – with his back to goal – swung his foot at the ball and sent a looping ball over Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall into the opposite top corner.
• Marco Di Vaio added the Impact's third goal four minutes later, tapping in from inside the six-yard box after Hall could only parry Andres Romero’s close-range attempt into the striker’s path.
• MONTREAL IMPACT (4-2-3-1): Troy Perkins - Hassoun Camara, Heath Pearce, Matteo Ferrari, Eric Miller - Gorka Larrea (Marco Di Vaio 46), Patrice Bernier - Andres Romero, Felipe Martins, Maxim Tissot (Justin Mapp 60) - Jack McInerney (Calum Mallace 86).
• HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-3-1-2): Tally Hall - Kofi Sarkodie, Jermaine Taylor (Eric Brunner 46), A.J. Cochran, Corey Ashe - Boniek Garcia, Warren Creavalle (Ricardo Clark 74), Andrew Driver - Giles Barnes - Will Bruin, Omar Cummings (Brian Ownby 59).

HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo put an end to their club-record losing run after seven games, defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-1 on Friday evening at Sporting Park. The Dynamo are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with 28 points from 25 games.

LAST MATCH

• After a weather delay of more than an hour at the 17th minute, the Dynamo took the lead in the 35th minute. Kofi Sarkodie put in a cross from the right flank that SKC center back Aurelien Collin was unable to clear, teeing up Will Bruin for a finish past goalkeeper Jon Kempin from just behind the penalty spot.
• Sporting equalized in the 55th minute. A through ball out of traffic by C.J. Sapong's found Benny Feilhaber just outside the area, and he drove in and centered a pass for Dom Dwyer to knock past goalkeeper Tally Hall with the help of a deflection.
• But seven minutes later Houston regained the lead. From a foul just outside the penalty area, Dynamo center back David Horst was left completely unmarked in the heart of the penalty area and rose to head home a Brad Davis free kick.
• Five minutes after that, it was 3-1 after another set-piece header. This time it was Ricardo Clark who ran onto Davis' free kick and headed it past Kempin and inside the left post.
• Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made no changes to the team that fell 3-0 to the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium.
• HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-4-2): Tally Hall (Tyler Deric 80) - Kofi Sarkodie, Jermaine Taylor, David Horst, Corey Ashe - Boniek Garcia, Luis Garrido, Ricardo Clark, Brad Davis (Andrew Driver 89) - Giles Barnes, Will Bruin (Jason Johnson 40).

TEAM NEWS

• The Dynamo put an end to their club-record road losing streak with their first victory away from BBVA Compass Stadium since the 4-1 defeat of Chivas USA on May 3. They had scored two road goals total over the seven-game stretch (both in the 4-2 loss at Toronto FC on July 12.
• “I think this was a game that we truly needed. We needed guys to show that they can not only play pretty, but they can play scrappy when the time comes because not every game is going to go the way you want it to go,” said Brad Davis. “But when you fight and work together, you can still come out victorious and I think tonight was that moment. Now hopefully we can really build off it going into these last nine weeks.”
• The Dynamo scored two goals from set piece opportunities, their first goals from standard situations since May 11. They have scored six goals from set pieces for the season.
• “You’re confident the ball’s going to be put in a dangerous place but it’s just a matter of the guys working free and attacking the ball,” head coach Dominic Kinnear said. “In a game like this there’s not a whole lot given, especially in the penalty areas. Guys worked themselves free and Brad put the ball in some good spots and it was the difference in the game for us tonight.”
• Brad Davis collected a pair of assists, both from dead ball services, and now has eight assists for the season, tied for ninth-most in the league. Over the last seven matches, since his return from the World Cup, Davis has three goals and three assists.
• “You're confident that the ball is going to be put in a dangerous place. It's a matter of the rest of the guys getting free and attacking the ball,” said Kinnear. “The one thing about Brad you can count on is he puts the ball in dangerous spots and there's good communication between him and the players attacking. In a game like this, there isn't a whole lot given, but we managed to get free a couple times and it worked out well for us.”
• Will Bruin scored his 10th goal of the season, his fourth over the last six matches. It marks the second time in his four MLS seasons Bruin has scored double-digits in goals. But there was an injury concern as Bruin was forced from the field with a twisted foot shortly after netting the opener.
• David Horst scored his second career MLS goal, his first since coming to the Dynamo. His last goal came June 24, 2012, with the Portland Timbers.
• “I was open pretty much the whole game and Brad played in a great ball and I was able to get my head on it,” Horst said. “I was surprised the way they were marking me that game. Hopefully with the goals tonight we can get the monkey off our backs and keep getting set piece goals to finish the season.”
• The Dynamo suffered a huge blow when goalkeeper Tally Hall had to come off with what was later diagnosed as a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, putting him out for the season. Hall had missed just one league match all season, the June 6 match at Sporting Kansas City.
• “I’ve never had an injury like this before so I don’t know,” Hall said. “I don’t want to miss any games; I don’t want to miss a game this weekend. I don’t want to miss a game next year but I want to be smart about it and come back fitter and stronger than I was before.”

MONTREAL IMPACT
The Montréal Impact won their second game on the trot on their home ground, defeating the Columbus Crew 2-0 on Saturday evening at Stade Saputo. The Impact are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points from 25 games.

LAST MATCH

• The Impact opened the scoring in the 40th minute. Felipe won the ball in midfield and released Ignacio Piatti down the right, sprinting toward goal. After juking past several Crew defenders, he placed his left-footed shot past goalkeeper Steve Clark inside the far post.
• The Impact and Piatti had their second in second-half stoppage time. Montreal threw numbers forward on the counter, and Piatti blasted a shot into the back of the net after Marco Di Vaio saw his attempt tackled away in the Crew box.
• Impact head coach Frank Klopas made two changes to the team that fell 4-2 to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. Patrice Bernier came into the midfield in place of Calum Mallace, and Marco Di Vaio started up top for Jack McInerney.
• MONTREAL IMPACT (4-2-3-1): Evan Bush - Hassoun Camara, Wandrille Lefevre, Matteo Ferrari, Krzysztof Krol - Patrice Bernier (Calum Mallace 80), Felipe Martins - Andres Romero (Eric Miller 88), Dilly Duka (Maxim Tissot 63), Ignacio Piatti - Marco Di Vaio.

TEAM NEWS

• It was a second home victory in the last two games for the Impact, their only two league victories since the start of July.
• “I think we did some positive moves and with Ignacio [Piatti] coming in, there’s been a lot more confidence in the group,” said Impact head coach Frank Klopas. “Even though we have lost a lot of games and that we deserved those losses, I feel like the team is heading in the right direction with the changes. We created some good depth in the team … but we still have a couple of pieces to fix before I get this team where I want it to be.”
• The Impact again hit the road looking for a first road victory of the campaign, still 0-9-3 on their travels. Five teams in MLS history have gone the entire season without an away win, last D.C. United in 2013.
• Making his third start, Ignacio Piatti scored his first two MLS goals, playing in an attacking role behind lone striker Marco Di Vaio.
• “He has a free role,” Klopas said. “He can find areas and pockets where we can get the ball and between the backline and the midfield. He’s very dangerous off the dribble, finding the through ball, the passes, and his ability to finish. He can play both areas, but I like him a little bit more underneath, just for the fact that we can save the energy, that he adds a lot more going forward.”
• Said Piatti: “I really like where I played, underneath the striker. It brings me closer to the goal and gives me more opportunities to score, but if the team needs me on the left then I will do what needs to be done for the team. This league is a lot more physical than what I’m used to, but I’m already adapting well to it.”
• Added defender Matteo Ferrari: “Ignacio, Ignacio… What do you want me to say? This guy, first of all, is a good guy. For me, that’s the best thing. Then, on the field, he’s great, great with the ball at his feet, he can make unbelievable assists, he can score, he can run, he can dribble. He’s the type of player that we were looking for, so we’re really happy that he’s playing with us right now.”
• The Impact also recorded a second consecutive clean sheet at Stade Saputo, their first two defensive shutouts since the start of July. Both shutouts were recorded with Evan Bush in goal, his first two shutouts in league play in his three-year MLS career.
• “We are putting more attention on our midfield now, so our ability to win some 50/50 balls in the middle gives us a bigger presence and takes some pressure off the back line,” said Klopas. “I think the team played really well over the course of 90 minutes. There were periods of momentum for both teams, but late in the final third, our quality of play showed and we were able to finish our chances and Bush made some good saves.”