Preview: Sporting KC at Houston Dynamo
June 28, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Sporting Kansas City continues its defense of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, facing rivals Houston Dynamo in the Round of 16 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The game is set to kick off at 6 p.m. CT and will be streamed live on SportingKC.com.
Unbeaten in four games during the month of June, Sporting Kansas City reached the Round of 16 with a 2-1 extra time win at Minnesota United FC on June 15. Benny Feilhaber and Christian Ramirez traded second-half penalty kicks before Diego Rubio came off the bench to score the winner in the 109th minute. Manager Peter Vermes' men have scored multiple goals in both MLS matches since then - a 2-0 home win over FC Dallas and a 2-2 stalemate at Montreal Impact on Saturday.
Feilhaber enters Wednesday's contest with an assist in each of Sporting Kansas City's last three matches, and his six career assists in the U.S. Open Cup are three more than any other player in Sporting KC history. Forward Dom Dwyer was the star on Saturday in Montreal, scoring twice to bring his team-leading total to eight goals in 2016. The 25-year-old Englishman bagged five goals during Sporting KC's run to the 2015 Open Cup championship and is one goal shy of becoming the club's lone leader atop the Open Cup scoring chart.
Center back Matt Besler and winger Graham Zusi have rejoined Sporting Kansas City after spending the last month with the United States Men's National Team at Copa America Centenario. The duo last played for the club on May 21 and will be in contention feature Wednesday night as Sporting Kansas City continues its quest for a second straight U.S. Open Cup title and a fourth in team history.
The Houston Dynamo currently sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings with 14 points from 16 games, but have just one loss in eight matches at BBVA Compass Stadium this season in all competitions. Wade Barrett's side cruised in their U.S. Open Cup fourth round tie on June 15, burying San Antonio FC 4-0 behind goals from Mauro Manotas, Alex, Raul Rodriguez and Leonel Miranda.
While remaining tough to beat at home, the Dynamo have just two points from nine regular season road games in 2016. Their most recent setback came at the Portland Timbers on Sunday, extending Houston's league winless run to five games. Andrew Wenger and Will Bruin gave the visitors a 2-0 halftime lead, but Portland replied with three unanswered goals in the second half to leave the Dynamo rooted at the bottom of the West.
Wednesday's encounter is a rematch of the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal which Sporting Kansas City won 3-1 at Children's Mercy Park. Houston won the first regular season meeting of 2016, receiving goals form Giles Barnes and Andrew Wenger in a 2-0 result at BBVA Compass Stadium in May 7. The rivals have squared off 21 times in all competitions since 2011, including five playoff games and two Open Cup meetings.
In addition to watching a live stream on SportingKC.com, supporters can follow Wednesday's match via Twitter at @SKCGameday and on Sporting KC Uphoria, the club's official mobile app.
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Major League Soccer Stories from June 28, 2016
- JT Marcinkowski Named to U.S. U-20 Men's NTC Invitational Roster - San Jose Earthquakes
- Colorado Rapids Introduce Goalkeeper Tim Howard at Press Conference - Colorado Rapids
- Saturday's California Clasico at Stanford Draws a Record One Million Viewers on Univision - San Jose Earthquakes
- Dynamo Host Sporting Kansas City in U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Tomorrow - Houston Dynamo FC
- Preview: Sporting KC at Houston Dynamo - Sporting Kansas City
- David Choiniere Signs MLS Contract with Impact - Club de Foot Montreal
- Impact Waives Defender Maxim Tissot - Club de Foot Montreal
- Timbers Begin 2016-17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League Group-Stage Schedule August 3 - Portland Timbers
- Earthquakes to Host Pride Night at Avaya Stadium on July 8 - San Jose Earthquakes
- Match Preview: Philadelphia Union vs. New York Red Bulls - Philadelphia Union
- Match Preview: New York Red Bulls at Philadelphia Wednesday for U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 - New York Red Bulls
- Dates Set for CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage - Sporting Kansas City
- Game Notes: Sounders FC at Real Salt Lake - June 28, 2016 - Seattle Sounders FC
- Fireworks Highlight Union's Patriot Night on July 9 - Philadelphia Union
- Orlando City Signs Tony Rocha for U.S. Open Cup - Orlando City SC
- Whitecaps FC to Host CONCACAF Champions League Group Matches August 23 and September 28 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- CONCACAF Sets Scotiabank Champions League Schedule for Group Phase of 2016-2017 Season - New York Red Bulls
- Sounders FC Signs Midfielder Zach Mathers to Short-Term Agreement - Seattle Sounders FC
- Looking Back on the Final California Clasico of 2016 - San Jose Earthquakes
- Whitecaps FC Name 23-Man Roster for Wednesday's Canadian Championship Final - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Clint Irwin Injury Update - Toronto FC
- Preview: Revs to Clash with Cosmos for First Time in U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 - New England Revolution
- Player and Team Notes: Revolution at New York Cosmos - New England Revolution
- Union's Roland Alberg Named MLS Player of the Week - Philadelphia Union
- Philadelphia Union Midfielder Roland Alberg Voted MLS Player of the Week - MLS
- Columbus Crew SC Plays at Chicago Fire in 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Tonight - Columbus Crew SC
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