SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs. HOUSTON DYNAMO
Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas
Friday, September 9 | Week #27 | MLS Game #273
8 pm ET (UniMás in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada)
A critical contest in the makeup of the Western Conference field for the MLS Cup Playoffs is ahead when Sporting Kansas City play host to the Houston Dynamo at Children's Mercy Park on Viernes de Fútbol. Sporting return home following a 2-0 defeat at Philadelphia Union in their last match, sitting in fifth place in the conference, three points above the red line. The Dynamo are at the foot of the West table, 10 points out of sixth place and the final playoff position, following their 3-1 home loss to FC Dallas at BBVA Compass Stadium last time out.
- Sporting Kansas City suffered a loss in their last game, falling 2-0 on the road to the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 27.
- The Houston Dynamo were also on the wrong end of the scoreline in their last match, as they were beaten at home, 3-1, by in-state rivals FC Dallas on Aug. 27.
- This is the second league meeting between the two clubs this season. The Dynamo were victorious in the first game at BBVA Compass Stadium on May 7 by a 2-0 mark.
REFEREE: Alan Kelly. AR1 (bench): Kyle Atkins; AR2 (opposite): Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho; 4th: Sorin Stoica
MLS Career: 53 games; FC/gm: 25.6; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 12; pens: 23
SUSPENDED: KC: Jimmy Medranda (through Sept. 11)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: KC: Matt Besler, Jimmy Medranda
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: KC: Dom Dwyer, Lawrence Olum, Roger Espinoza
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (24 meetings): Sporting 5 wins, 27 goals -- Dynamo 9 wins, 33 goals -- Ties 10
AT KANSAS CITY (11 meetings): Sporting 2 wins, 13 goals -- Dynamo 4 wins, 14 goals -- Ties 5
- The Dynamo have won the last two meetings, both in Houston, the first victories for the home team in the series in the last 10 matches, following a Dynamo home win in 2012.
- The teams reached a 1-1 draw Aug. 1, 2015 in the last meeting in Kansas City. Sporting's last win at home in the series came in 2011, winless in their first meetings at Children-s Mercy Park (0-1-4).
- Coaches record: Peter Vermes vs. HOU: P17 W4 L5 D8 -- Wade Barrett vs. KC: first game
LAST MEETING (MLS)
5/27: HOU 2, KC 0 (Barnes 30, Wenger 46+)
- The opening goal came in the 30th minute. After taking a pass from Erick Torres just outside the penalty area on the left, Giles Barnes hammered a first-time shot on the half-volley inside the far post.
- The Dynamo then doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time, when Barnes sent a pass to Cristian Maidana from the left flank, and he slipped a short cross inside to Andrew Wenger, who made a move before driving a laser shot past Sporting goalkeeper Tim Melia.
- HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-2-3-1): Tyler Deric - Jalil Anibaba, David Horst, Agus, DaMarcus Beasley (Abdoulie Mansally 67) - Ricardo Clark, Alex - Andrew Wenger, Cristian Maidana (Leonel Miranda 75), Giles Barnes - Erick Torres (Will Bruin 57).
- SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-1-2-3): Tim Melia - Chance Myers (Jimmy Medranda 62), Nuno Andre Coelho, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic - Soni Mustivar - Benny Feilhaber, Roger Espinoza - Brad Davis (Diego Rubio 67), Dom Dwyer, Graham Zusi (Saad Abdul-Salaam 77).
