MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Houston Dynamo visit Árabe Unido tonight in decisive CONCACAF Champions League group stage match

Published on October 24, 2013 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON (Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013) - The Houston Dynamo and Árabe Unido meet at 7 p.m. CT tonight at Estadio Agustín Muquita Sánchez in La Chorrera, Panama. Tonight's game is the final CONCACAF Champions League group stage game for both clubs.

The Dynamo (7 points) lead Árabe Unido (6 points) by one point in Group 1, and can win the group and advance to the tournament quarterfinals with a win or a draw. Árabe Unido needs a win to advance to the quarterfinals, set for next March.

Tonight's game will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Plus (AT&T U-verse - Channel 1653; DIRECTV - Channel 621; Dish Network - Channel 391; Comcast - N/A) and Univision Deportes (Spanish). There will be no radio broadcasts.

Houston defeated Árabe Unido in their previous meeting this group stage, a 2-1 win at BBVA Compass Stadium on Aug. 27. Abdiel Arroyo delivered Los árabes a 1-0 lead with a first-half penalty goal before two goals from forward Cam Weaver secured Houston the win.

The Champions League is a 24-team tournament featuring the best club teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1962 as the Champions Cup, it was reformatted in 2008 under its new name. For the 2013-14 edition, 24 teams were divided into eight groups of three. The eight group winners will advance to the quarterfinals, which begin next March. The winner of the Champions League will advance to the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco.

Entering the final night of group stage play, the other seven groups have been decided, with the following group winners through to the quarterfinals: Toluca F.C. (Mexico), Cruz Azul (Mexico), Club Tijuana (Mexico), the LA Galaxy (MLS), Alajuelense (Costa Rica), Sporting Kansas City (MLS) and the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS). If the Dynamo advance, they will meet one of the other group winners in a two-leg aggregate series next March.

Árabe Unido is currently 4-5-6 (17 points) and in seventh place in the Panamanian Football League, 12 points back of first place Tauro F.C. The Blue Express registered a 4-0 win over Río Abajo on Friday. Jose Gonzalez scored twice in the first half before Joseph Cox and Arroyo added goals for a 4-0 win. Gonzalez and Cox are tied for the team lead with three goals each this season.

Houston faced Árabe Unido in Panama in a memorable Champions League game in August 2009 and secured a 1-1 draw. The game - also at Estadio Agustín Muquita Sánchez - included eight yellow cards, five red cards and two power outages.

Following tonight's game, Houston will finish the 2013 MLS regular season with a road game at D.C. United on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. CT (TV: NBC).

Entering Sunday's game, the Dynamo (13-11-9; 48 points) are tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with the New England Revolution (13-11-9; 48 points), but trail the Revolution on the goals scored tiebreaker for the final playoff spot in the East. The top five clubs in each conference qualify for the playoffs. For Houston to secure a place in the playoffs, it needs to defeat D.C. United on Sunday and have one of three teams - the Montreal Impact, Chicago Fire or New England Revolution - lose or draw its final game of the season this weekend.

Tickets for a potential Dynamo home playoff game are available now. Tickets for the first home game may be purchased at www.HoustonDynamo.com, by calling 713-276-GOAL, or by visiting the BBVA Compass Stadium box office (2200 Texas St., Houston) from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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