The Seattle Sounders are visiting the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday in the first of two matches this season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 5:38 p.m. PT at PNC Stadium in Houston, Texas.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on FOX 13+ and Prime Video.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM. 2022
RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 3-5-1 (10 points, 11th West), Dynamo: 4-4-3 (15 points, 6th West)
FORM GUIDE (all competitions, most recent first): Seattle: WLLWD, Houston: WWLLL
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders fell 2-1 at the Dynamo last October behind two early goals from Maxi Urruti and Darwin Quintero. Jimmy Medranda scored the lone tally for Seattle, which had beaten Houston in six consecutive matches prior.
SUSPENSIONS: The Sounders will be without starting midfielder Obed Vargas, who picked up a caution last weekend and will miss out due to yellow-card accumulation. Houston, meanwhile, will need to replace starting left back Adam Lundqvist, who was sent off in the Dynamo’s match on Saturday.
ROTATIONS LIKELY: While Head Coach Brian Schmetzer’s squad rotation probably won’t be as drastic as it had been during Concacaf Champions League play, there is likely to going to be some roster shakeup in Houston. The Sounders will be playing on the road in high heat in their second of three matches in eight days before going to altitude to take on the Colorado Rapids this coming weekend.
ROLDAN ROLLING: Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan punctuated his brilliant season he’s been having by putting on a masterclass against Minnesota United on Sunday. He scored a rocket from deep, added an assist and drew a penalty in an MLS Team of the Week performance.
NEW MAN IN CHARGE: Paulo Nagamura is in his first season at the helm of the Dynamo, who chose not to renew Tab Ramos’ contract at the end of last season. Nagamura is a 39-year-old former MLS player who joined Houston after several years in charge of Sporting Kansas City II, SKC’s MLS Next Pro side.
FORWARD FERREIRA: The Dynamo made a huge splash this past offseason by acquiring Paraguayan international forward Sebastián Ferreira as a Designated Player from Club Libertad. The 24-year-old, who coincidentally was signed in 2018 by Liga MX’s Morelia immediately after selling Raúl RuidÃaz to the Sounders, has been solid so far in his debut MLS season. He has four goals and an assist in 772 minutes.
FAMILIAR FOE: Houston bolstered its goalkeeping over the winter by adding former Portland Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark. He’s started all 11 matches this season and kept three clean sheets.
