MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Three Points: Dynamo Look to Even Series with Portland Tonight

Published on September 15, 2018 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON - The Houston Dynamo are into the final quarter of the season and will be looking to break out of a 10-game winless skid tonight against the Portland Timbers at BBVA Compass Stadium. Houston last won on July 7 and has fallen to 10th place in the Western Conference table over the last two months.

While they are still alive in the playoff race, the Dynamo have adopted an "every game is a final" mentality for these last seven league contests, as each game has effectively become a must-win situation. Equally important, Houston will host the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final on Wednesday, Sept. 26 and will look to us tonight's match and next week's contest at Orlando to round into peak form heading into that contest.

GAME INFORMATION:

MATCHUP: Houston Dynamo (7-13-7; 28 pts.) vs. Portland Timbers (12-7-8; 44 pts.)

TIME: 7:30 p.m. CDT

TV: KUBE Ch. 57 (Local Channel Guide)

RADIO: CBS Sports Radio 650 AM (English); Univision Radio 1010 AM (Spanish)

HERE ARE THREE KEY POINTS YOU'LL NEED TO KNOW AS YOU PREPARE FOR TONIGHT'S GAME:

1. CAN "TIMBER MAURO" KEEP SCORING? - Houston forward Mauro Manotas has been excellent against the Portland Timbers in his young career so far. Manotas has scored five goals in his last five appearances against the Timbers, including his only career hat trick in a 3-1 Dynamo win in September 2016. Manotas has averaged 1.6 goals per 90 minutes against the Timbers, including the game-winning goal in Houston's Western Conference Semifinal win at Providence Park last November.

2. GETTING READY FOR THE OPEN CUP FINAL - As mentioned above, the Dynamo will host the Philadelphia Union in the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final on Wednesday, Sept. 26. That match could deliver the club's third championship in 13 years and the Dynamo's first at home. Tonight's match, along with next Saturday's game at Orlando City, gives Houston two chances to get everything in order and make sure that they are firing on all cylinders for the Open Cup Final.

3. KEEPING THE TIMBERS IN CHECK - Portland comes into tonight's game sitting tied for fourth in the West on 44 points and are looking to solidify their standing in the playoff race. The Timbers have been arguably the league's streakiest team, starting the year on a five-game winless streak before reeling off a 15-match unbeaten run. They followed that by losing four in a row and are now unbeaten in their last three. Leading the way for Portland is the Argentinian duo of Diego Valeri and Sebastián Blanco. Valeri, the reigning league MVP, has 10 goals and 10 assists on the year, while Blanco has six goals and eight assists of his own. The team's fortunes have mirrored the play of those two, as the team has earned 11 of its 12 wins when one or both of the two Argentines have had a goal or an assist.

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