Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Houston Dynamo will have their impressive
home unbeaten streak in MLS regular season play tested when they host
Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday.
Houston comes into the match riding a 26-match unbeaten run in regular season
home matches, three shy of the record set by Real Salt Lake (June 6, 2009 -
May 14, 2011).
Led by Dominic Kinnear, Houston has pieced together a strong resume in recent
seasons. With such dominant home form, the Dynamo have made it to back-to-back
MLS Cup title matches, losing to the Los Angeles Galaxy on both occasions.
"There are good moments and bad moments whether it's the first game or second
or 28th game," Kinnear said. "You've just got to try and keep confidence in
yourself and each other and that's what makes for a good team."
The Dynamo will be slightly depleted for Saturday's tilt with Brad David,
Jermaine Taylor and Boniek Garcia away on international duty for their
respective countries. Will Bruin is also likely to miss the clash through
injury.
"It's going to be a difficult game, we're missing some of our key guys,
Jermaine and Boniek, and Will going down with an injury - but having said that
this team's always gotten on with call-ups and things in the past," said Brian
Ching. "This is a chance for these guys to step in and compete for starting
spots. Dom brought them in to play, not to sit on the bench and be back-ups."
Those replacements are set for a tough encounter as the Dynamo take on a
Whitecaps team that has taken six points from their two matches this season.
Vancouver is coming off of a 2-1 defeat of the Columbus Crew last weekend, a
match that saw the 'Caps create plenty of scoring opportunities, much to head
coach Martin Rennie's pleasure.
"It was definitely more chances created than ever since I've been coach here
which is an encouraging sign because first we tried to do initially is make
our team solid defensively and then improving our possession, because of our
possession being better we created more chances," said Rennie. "That's what we
want to be doing but we also want to be taking those chances and putting a
flair reflection on the score."
Vancouver's winner from that match came via Kenny Miller, who scored just two
goals in 13 league appearances last term. Getting Miller off the mark with his
first goal of the new season certainly bodes well for the Whitecaps.
"It's always nice to go off the mark as a striker," said Miller. "You're
always going to be judged on goals.
"But again, I said before, more importantly two home games at the start of the
season was an opportunity to put some early points on the board; maximum
points for us, it's a delight to see that."
The Sports Network