Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 15
Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City
BBVA Stadium – Houston
October 3 – 8:00 PM ET

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada

LOCAL TV: QuestTEXAS Ch. 55, FOX Sports KC

Sporting Kansas City look to even the season series with the Houston Dynamo in the fourth and final regular season meeting between the Western Conference squads Saturday night at BBVA Stadium.

The Dynamo (3W-4L-7D) rallied to earn a 1-1 draw against Nashville SC Saturday afternoon, while Sporting KC (6W-5L-2D) suffered a second consecutive defeat, losing to Orlando City SC last Wednesday.

Sporting won the first meeting back in March, 4-0, before the Dynamo earned a measure of revenge with a 5-2 victory on August 25, Tab Ramos' first victory as Houston coach. On Sept. 5 at BBVA Stadium, the Dynamo rallied from a first-half deficit to win 2-1 on goals from Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas.

Houston Dynamo

It's now five matches without a win for the Dynamo, but they rallied late to avoid a second straight defeat as Maynor Figueroa's headed goal in the 89th minute off a sublime lofted service to the back post by Darwin Quintero.

Reportedly, Houston have all but completed a deal for Alberth Elis' replacement, with forward Mateo Bajamich leaving Argentine second division club Instituto Atletico Central Cordoba for the Dynamo. Houston also have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with Homegrown midfielder Memo Rodriguez, the club announced in a Thursday release. The extension keeps Rodriguez with the Dynamo through the 2022 season, and includes club options for 2023 and 2024.

"Memo exemplifies who we are as a club both on and off the field and we are very pleased that he will continue to represent the city of Houston and our team” Houston general manager Matt Jordan said in Thursday's release. “He has worked through every level of our club's structure to earn this extension, while being a top professional every step of the way. We’re all confident in what the future holds for Memo as he continues to grow and develop with our club.”

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Michael Salazar (F) - right knee injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Wilfried Zahibo (M) - right thigh injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Maynor Figueroa (D), Boniek Garcia (M), Matias Vera (M), Memo Rodriguez (M)
International duty: None

Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Kansas City were scheduled to face the Colorado Rapids in Week 14, but the match was postponed after confirmed positive COVID-19 tests to one player and three staff members of the Colorado Rapids during a series of tests conducted on Sept. 24-25. Based on the number of positive test results, Major League Soccer postponed the match to allow for additional testing and evaluation.

Now Sporting embark on a stretch of nine matches in 30 days, the most congested schedule in the club's history.

"You have to have a somewhat relatively healthy group to be able to manage that many games," Peter Vermes said in a video conference call with reporters Friday. "Managing minutes is also going to be really important as we move through this and the way that we bring back the guys that are still injured and are coming off injury, that's going to be another piece to the puzzle as well."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Felipe Gutierrez (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Matt Besler (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Luis Martins (D) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: Gadi Kinda (M)
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None