Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy | 2016 MLS Match Preview

HOUSTON DYNAMO vs. LA GALAXY
BBVA Compass Stadium | Houston, Texas
Sunday, Oct. 16 | Week #33 | MLS Game #327
5 pm ET (MLS LIVE, ROOT Sports SW, Spectrum SportsNet)

A crucial match in the Final Push for the Playoffs is ahead when the Houston Dynamo entertain the LA Galaxy on Sunday afternoon at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo have been officially eliminated from playoff contention, returning home after putting an end to a two-game losing slide with a goalless draw with Seattle Sounders FC on the road at midweek. The Galaxy are still trying to nail down home-field advantage in the Knockout Round after booking their postseason ticket last time out, despite a second consecutive loss in a 1-0 defeat by FC Dallas on the road.

• The Galaxy had their winless run stretched to three games, dropping a 1-0 decision to FC Dallas on Oct. 1 at Toyota Stadium. The shutout loss also snapped a string of five consecutive games having scored multiple goals.
• The teams are meeting for a third time this season, and the Galaxy have won the first two. Giovani dos Santos scored a pair of goals and set up a third as the Galaxy claimed a 4-1 win April 15 at BBVA Compass Stadium; Steven Gerrard scored the game’s lone goal in LA’s win July 15 at StubHub Center.
• The Galaxy win this year was their first ever at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Galaxy’s last win in Houston had come in 2010– at Robertson Stadium. The Dynamo had won four consecutive home games in the series.
• The Galaxy have won the last two meetings at StubHub Center. Their win May 22, 2015 in Carson was LA’s first league victory against the Dynamo since May 25, 2011, ending a five-game league winless run in the series. The Dynamo had won four consecutive league meetings between the teams before a 1-1 draw March 21 in the first meeting last year.

REFEREE: Kevin Stott. AR1 (bench): Craig Lowry; AR2 (opposite): Apolinar Mariscal; 4th: Rubiel Vazquez
MLS Career: 293 games; FC/gm: 25.3; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 71; pens: 77

SUSPENDED: LA: Jelle Van Damme (caution accumulation; through Oct. 16)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: LA: Jeff Larentowicz, A.J. DeLaGarza
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS:
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (23 meetings): Dynamo 9 wins, 26 goals -- Galaxy 9 wins, 25 goals -- Ties 5
AT HOUSTON (12 meetings): Dynamo 6 wins, 16 goals -- Galaxy 4 wins, 12 goals -- Ties 2

2016 [MLS]:
4/15: HOU 1, LA 4 (Horst 1 - dos Santos 4, 31; Husidic 21; Zardes 49)
7/15: LA 1, HOU 0 (Gerrard 66)

• Coaches record: Wade Barrett vs. LA: P1 W0 L1 T0 -- Bruce Arena vs. HOU: P17 W8 L7 T2

LAST MEETING [MLS]:

• The Galaxy had a glorious chance to open the scoring early when Dynamo center back David Horst was adjudged to handled the ball in the area in the seventh minute. But Robbie Keane's attempt from the spot missed the goal entirely, sailing right of the target.
• The lone goal came in the 66th minute, when Robbie Keane broke in on a breakaway, but his shot attempt was blocked by Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis. The rebound fell to Steven Gerrard, who slotted home into an open net with Willis well off his line after making the initial stop.
• Brian Rowe was credited with making four saves in keeping the clean sheet for the Galaxy.
• LA GALAXY (4-2-3-1): Brian Rowe - A.J. DeLaGarza, Daniel Steres, Jelle Van Damme, David Romney - Baggio Husidic, Jeff Larentowicz - Giovani dos Santos (Sebastian Lletget 89), Steven Gerrard (Mike Magee 80), Gyasi Zardes - Robbie Keane.
• HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-4-1): Joe Willis - Sheanon Williams (Mauro Manotas 86), David Horst, Raul Rodriguez, Jalil Anibaba - Collen Warner - Andrew Wenger (Erick Torres 81), Ricardo Clark, Alex, Boniek Garcia (Cristian Maidana 62) - Giles Barnes.