MONTRÉAL IMPACT vs HOUSTON DYNAMO
STADE SAPUTO, Montréal, Qué.
June 19, 2013 (WEEK 17, MLS Game #141)
8 p.m. ET (TSN/RDS; CSN-Hou2)
A huge match atop the Eastern Conference is ahead on Wednesday night as the Montréal Impact play host to the Houston Dynamo at Stade Saputo. The Impact still lead the Eastern Conference despite returning to action last weekend with a 2-0 loss at the Columbus Crew. The Dynamo sit in a logjam just four points back of the Impact, their last league match coming nearly three weeks ago in a 1-1 draw with Columbus.
REFEREE: Chris Penso. AR1 (bench): Matthew Kreitzer; AR2 (opposite): Peter Balciunas; 4th: Mark Kadlecik
MLS Career: 38 games; FC/gm: 23.2; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 8; pens: 13
DISABLED LIST: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: MTL: Felipe Martins … HOU: Andrew Driver
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: MTL: Dennis Iapichino … HOU: Corey Ashe, Kofi Sarkodie
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: HOU: Boniek Garcia (Honduras); Brad Davis (USA)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (3 meetings): Impact 1 win, 5 goals … Dynamo 1 win, 6 goals … Ties 1
AT MONTREAL (1 meeting): Impact 1 win, 4 goals … Dynamo 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 0
RETURN MATCHES: 8/24: Montreal Impact vs. Houston Dynamo, 7 p.m. ET (TSN2, RDS); 10/4: Houston Dynamo vs. Montreal Impact, 7:30 p.m. CT
LAST YEAR (MLS)
6/23: MTL 4, HOU 2 (Nyassi 4; Arnaud 21; Camara 60; Bernier 67 – Davis 16; Bruin 45)
7/21: HOU 3, MTL 0 (Kandji 7, 89; Boswell 84)
10/6: HOU 1, MTL 1 (Bruin 44 – Nyassi 66)
• The teams evenly split their three meetings in Montréal’s inaugural MLS season, each winning once at home. The third match, at BBVA Compass Stadium, was a draw.
• Coaches record: Marco Schallibaum vs. HOU: first game … Dominic Kinnear vs. MTL: P3 W1 L1 T1
MONTREAL IMPACT
The Montréal Impact saw their winning streak come to an end at three games, dropping a 2-0 decision to the Columbus Crew on Saturday evening at Crew Stadium. The Impact still lead the Eastern Conference with 26 points from 13 matches.
LAST MATCH
• The Crew took the lead in the sixth minute through some good fortune. After a tackle on Dominic Oduro where the referee played the advantage, the ball popped out to Matias Sanchez, who fired a low strike which deflected off Montreal defender Jeb Brovsky and into the back of the net.
• The Crew made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute when Dominic Oduro stole the ball from Montreal midfielder Collen Warner 40 yards from goal and raced in on goal before slotting the ball past onrushing goalkeeper Troy Perkins.
HIGHLIGHTS: CLB 2, MTL 0
• Impact head coach Marco Schällibaum made two changes to the team that recorded a 2-1 win against Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park. Jeb Brovsky came into the back four for the suspended Alessandro Nesta, and Andrew Wenger started up top in place of Sanna Nyassi.
• MONTREAL IMPACT (4-4-2): Troy Perkins - Jeb Brovsky, Matteo Ferrari, Hassoun Camara, Dennis Iapichino - Justin Mapp (Andrea Pisanu 65), Collen Warner (Blake Smith 73), Patrice Bernier, Felipe Martins - Marco Di Vaio, Andrew Wenger (Daniele Paponi 54).
TEAM NEWS
• The Impact were shut out for just the second time on the season, the first since March 30. They had scored 10 goals in three league games before having a week off ahead of the Columbus match.
• “We trained well during the week, but we came out a bit timid,” said assistant coach Mauro Biello, who replaced the suspended Marco Schallibaum. “We still created chances in the first half, that’s for sure. … But in attack, it was a bit difficult. When you make two mistakes on the road, it’s tough to make up for them.”
• Said midfielder Justin Mapp: “After a couple of weeks off it takes a little bit of time to get back in your rhythm. No excuses because we’re an experienced group, so you can’t blame it on any layoff, but maybe it had something to do with it.”
• After coming off the substitutes’ bench for the first time all season in MLS play, having started the opening 11 games, Jeb Brovsky returned to fill the right back role with Alessandro Nesta suspended.
• “An early goal is always going to take the wind out of your sails right away, but I don’t think it was the case here,” Brovsky said. “We had so much time to get it back, and we definitely had chances in the first half that we should have put away. I think we can all point to ourselves individually and say that that first half could have been better.”
• Returning to the starting lineup after making a late cameo the week before at Kansas City, Andrew Wenger was not able to build on his first goal of the season, scored in the 5-3 win against Philadelphia.
• “For a forward, when you’re having difficulties scoring, you have to continue to work hard and do the simple things. Sometimes goals they come in bunches and sometimes it’s a little bit difficult,” said Biello. “Andrew needs to continue to work hard, but the good thing is that he got in those situations and created those chances – that’s what’s positive. Chances come all the time; he’s just got to be ready for the next one.”
• Following the Houston match, the Impact will take on Western Conference sides in two of their next three games – against Colorado (6/29) and Chivas USA (7/7). The Impact are undefeated in their four matches against West teams this season (3-0-1).
• “It’s a good opportunity for us to a play a good team coming in our home, a good Eastern Conference rival. We need points now because we just gave up, essentially, six points on our own side,” said Brovsky. “We need to keep going and we know Houston is not going to lay down for us either.”
HOUSTON DYNAMO
The Houston Dynamo return to action after three weeks off from league play, their last match a second consecutive 1-1 draw, this time with the Columbus Crew on June 1 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 21 points from 13 matches.
LAST MATCH
• The Dynamo took the lead in the 31st minute. Dynamo right back Kofi Sarkodie sped down the right flank before whipping a low cross to the center of the box. An unmarked Warren Creavalle timed his run through the channel perfectly and one-timed the ball past goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum.
• But the Crew were level in the 69th minute. Defender Chad Barson went down under Andrew Driver's challenge in the box and referee Allen Chapman pointed to the spot. Federico Higuaín converted with a powerful shot for the eventual equalizer.
HIGHLIGHTS: CLB 1, HOU 1
• Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made two changes to the team that reached a 1-1 draw with Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park. Jason Johnson and Warren Creavalle with Brad Davis and Boniek Garcia away on international duty.
• HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-3-2): Tally Hall - Kofi Sarkodie, Ricardo Clark, Eric Brunner (Anthony Arena 20), Corey Ashe - Adam Moffat (Luiz Camargo 46) - Jason Johnson, Warren Creavalle, Andrew Driver - Giles Barnes (Mike Chabala 84), Will Bruin.
TEAM NEWS
• The Dynamo have now gone four games without a victory, their longest winless run of the season. They have played to four 1-1 draws over their last eight games.
• “I thought we had some good possession and some decent looks. You knew they were going to take some chances going forward and if that’s a penalty, then there you go … a tie’s a tie,” said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear.
• Warren Creavalle made his second start of the season, his first since March 23, and netted his third goal of the campaign. Two of the goals have come in his two starts.
• “When young guys or new guys come on the field it could’ve been a really bad game or a good game,” goalkeeper Tally Hall said. “I think the team mentality that guys come in and just come into this core circle where everyone’s on the same page and everyone’s giving what they’ve got for the team and that’s what happened.”
• The Dynamo were forced into an early change against Columbus as center back Eric Brunner took a blow to the head. Already without Jermaine Taylor because of international duty and Bobby Boswell through suspension and with Ricardo Clark deputizing in central defense, rookie Anthony Arena made his full professional debut, coming on in the 20th minute.
• Jason Johnson was also called upon for his first start of the season, playing wide on the right of midfield and lasting the full 90 minutes.
• “Anthony as a center back to come in and just adjust to the game as fast as he did in his first MLS minutes ever I thought he was very good,” Hall said. “J.J. [Johnson] I thought was a handful all night in his first start. It’s exciting.”
• In addition to getting their international campaigners back in the fold, there could be another addition on the horizon with Omar Cummings having returned to full training. “It was good to see him out on the field,” said Kinnear. “We’ve gone pretty deep as far as our squad goes in regards to getting minutes. To have someone like him on the field, and playing and not just jogging, is a good thing.”
• Following their league match, the Dynamo were eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup in the fourth round following a 3-0 loss to FC Dallas, who got two goals from Kenny Cooper.
• Here’s the Dynamo team: Tyler Deric, Mike Chabala, Bobby Boswell, Ricardo Clark, Kofi Sarkodie, Warren Creavalle, Luiz Camargo, Alex Dixon (Cam Weaver 71), Will Bruin (Brian Ching 62), Andrew Driver, Jason Johnson (Omar Cummings 79).
