Houston Dynamo – Montreal Impact
Friday, October 4, 2013 – 8:30pm (ET)
BBVA Compass Stadium
TV: RDS Info
Online: MLS Live
Mobile: illico mobile
Viewing party: Hurley's Irish Pub
HOUSTON, Texas - Back-to-back in the league table, the Montreal Impact (13-9-7, 46pts) and the Houston Dynamo (12-10-8, 44pts) will matchup at 8:30 pm (ET) this Friday at BBVA Compass Stadium, in Houston, Texas. The game will be broadcast live on RDSInfo and is available online with illico mobile and MLS Live. You can also get live updates using the Impact mobile app or by following @impactmontreal on twitter.
With only five games to play this season, the Impact sits in third place in the Eastern Conference standings with 46 points. Houston is just behind with 44 points from 30 games played. The Impact is behind Sporting Kansas City (48 pts) and the New York Red Bulls (52 pts). On Saturday night, SKC visits the Columbus Crew, while the New York Red Bulls host the New England Revolution.
Head-to-Head
This is the third and final regular season meeting between the two teams in 2013. In the first matchup on June 20, the Impact earned a fourth consecutive home victory at Stade Saputo, topping the Dynamo 2-0 on goals by Marco Di Vaio and Felipe. The Impact then shut out the Dynamo 5-0 at Stade Saputo on August 24, thanks in part to a brace by Di Vaio.
In 2012 at the BBVA Compass Stadium, the Dynamo shut out the Impact 3-0 on July 21. Both teams also tied 1-1 on October 6 in Texas.
Preview: Mauro Biello
Scroll to 1:11 to hear his comments in English
Impact news
The Impact is unbeaten in its last three road games (1-0-2), including a 2-2 draw from last weekend in Chicago. Designated Player Marco Di Vaio scored his league leading 19th goal of the season, while Academy product Maxim Tissot found his first career goal late in the game to equalize.
Di Vaio, who is only one goal shy from becoming just the 11th player in MLS history to reach the 20 goal plateau, has scored eight goals in his last seven MLS games, including three two-goal performances.
Impact midfielder Felipe will return to action following a one-game automatic suspension due to yellow card accumulation. Team captain Davy Arnaud and defender Hassoun Camara are sitting on their fourth cautions and could be suspended if they were to see another yellow this weekend.
Dynamo news
Last Saturday, Houston came away from Gillette Stadium with a 1-1 draw thanks to Will Bruin's second-half equalizer, extending the team's unbeaten streak to five games over all competitions (4-0-1).
In its most recent regular season home game, on September 21, Houston won 5-1 against Chivas USA.
Of the Dynamo's 44 points this season, 27 have been picked up at BBVA Compass Stadium. A home record of 8-3-3 is among the East's best. Only the Red Bulls have fewer home losses in 2013.
Forwards Giles Barnes and Will Bruin are tied for the team lead in scoring with eight goals apiece, while Brad Davis has eight assists, followed closely by Bruin with seven.
Like his counterpart for the Impact Troy Perkins, Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall has played every single minute of MLS regular season action, good for a 1.37 GAA and seven shutouts.
Forwards Omar Cummings and Calen Carr could be available for selection following injuries that kept both out of action for lengthy spells in 2013.
Former Impact expansion selection Brian Ching will announce his retirement at season's end.
Next games
Both clubs will play an MLS Reserve League game on Saturday morning.
The Impact will return home host yet another team chasing them in the playoffs, the New England Revolution, on Saturday, October 12, at 2:30pm (ET), at Stade Saputo.
