Dynamo try to break the RSL hex: What to watch for
(image via Billy Mears)
The Houston Dynamo return from a bye week to host Real Salt Lake tonight at Shell Energy Stadium. Houston had last weekend off and most recently played on April 26, a 1-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Real Salt Lake drew 0-0 at home against the Seattle Sounders last weekend.
When: Saturday, May 6 | 7:39 PM CT kickoff
Where: Shell Energy Stadium; Houston, Texas
TV/Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: 97.5 FM (English), 93.3 FM (Spanish)
Great Wall of Houston
The Dynamo have won all four games at Shell Energy Stadium this season and have not conceded a goal, a Major League Soccer record to begin a campaign. The defense, led by goalkeeper Steve Clark have been tested several times but have yet to be broken while at home. Brad Smith and Erik Sviatchenko will likely feature once they are healthy, but it will be tough for anyone to supplant the current back four of Franco Escobar, Teenage Hadebe, Ethan Bartlow, and Daniel Steres. As the weather in Houston starts to heat up, it’s going to be even more difficult for teams to come here and get results, especially with a wall set up on the back line.
Busy days ahead
Tonight is the first match for the Dynamo in what will be a busy month of May. After the match against RSL, Houston will be back home on Wednesday in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup against Sporting Kansas City and again next Saturday against the Seattle Sounders.
Head coach Ben Olsen knows it’s a crowded fixture list ahead and he knows what the team needs to do to be prepared. “We know what the next two months look like, and they look very busy, but all you can deal with is Salt Lake,” Olsen told the media this week. “Behind the scenes, of course, we can do a little bit more to prep for Kansas City and Seattle. As far as getting ahead of some of that work because it comes fast and furious. You can plan for Wednesday and what that lineup looks like, but ultimately, we have a vital, super important game this weekend against a very good opponent who had a very good year last year and is, I think, one of the better teams in the West. So, that is where the focus is for us. This week we haven't mentioned Kansas City, and we haven't mentioned Seattle other than here's a big two months with a lot of games. We’ve got to take care of ourselves physically and mentally, and we need to use everybody throughout this stretch if we're going to be in a good spot once the Leagues Cup arrives. That’s the message there, but all week it's been about Salt Lake and how we go about trying to get the points here at home and reward our fans.”
Imperfect 10
As much as the Dynamo have changed the last few years, one thing has remained the same. The Dynamo have not beaten Real Salt Lake in the last 10 meetings between the teams. RSL is always one of those “lunch pail” type teams who play a physical game and can be tough for anyone to play against, especially under head coach Pablo Mastroeni. “They are always a tough out,” Olsen said in his weekly press conference. ”They’re in particular more of a tough out now that Pablo Mastroeni is their head coach. I know him very well. I played with him. I consider him a good friend, and I also consider him a very good coach. His teams play hard. They're hard to break down. They've got some very good individuals on the offensive end who can make plays and make the difference. That’s a really good combo to have success in this league. Again, defensively sound and a group that works very hard. You have to earn goals against them, and they are a team with some game changers. It's a really good recipe, so I expect a very good team to show up here. They understand what we're about. I think we have a pretty good understanding of how they go about the game. It's not much different. When I look at how we play and how they play, there's a lot of similarities. It’ll be a fairly tactical game, and we'll have to be at our best on the defensive side to keep them off with their attackers, and hopefully offensively this is the game where we really click in transition or in build up and put up a few goals.”
Availability Report
Houston Dynamo - Out: Ifunanyachi Achara (knee), Tate Schmitt (knee); Questionable: Erik Sviatchenko (lower body)
Real Salt Lake – Out: Zack Farnsworth (thigh), Axel Kei (ankle), Jasper Löffelsend (ankle), Pablo Ruiz (suspension); Questionable: Delentz Pierre (leg), Bode Hidalgo (hamstring), Tomas Gomez (knee), Anderson Julio (hamstring); Questionable: Danny Musovski (hamstring)
Predicted Lineup
