The Houston Dynamo attempt to stretch their MLS unbeaten stretch to five matches when they host Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
The Dynamo are 3-0-1 during the streak and have pitched shutouts in all three victories.
Houston (5-6-5, 20 points) looks to continue its recent run against struggling Sporting Kansas City (3-8-4, 13 points), who have three straight ties as part of a four-match winless stretch.
The Dynamo received a surprise spark from forward Gabe Segal in Wednesday’s 3-0 road victory over New York City FC.
Segal scored his first two goals of the season while feasting against his former teammates. It was his first MLS start and just his fifth appearance of the season, but he was ready for the opportunity.
“I think in this business, you always know there is going to be competition and new faces coming in to challenge you for different roles,” Segal said. “Obviously, I want to play as much as I can and that is something that can block my minutes. At the end of the day, all you can do is what’s in your control. It’s crazy, you never know when your chance will come.”
Ezequiel Ponce leads Houston with four goals.
Sporting Kansas City didn’t have a mid-week game and will be the fresher squad. SKC played the visiting New England Revolution to a 3-3 tie last Saturday.
Sporting KC fell behind 2-0 before scoring three straight goals. However, New England’s Maxi Urruti scored in the 84th minute to leave SKC with just one point.
“I’m just proud of the team and the way we came back,” said SKC forward Daniel Salloi. “It’s shocking how we can play when we change our mindset and we are more forward. I’m very proud of the team but, at the same time, it’s bittersweet not getting the win after that. It’s tough.”
Sporting KC lost defender Robert Voloder during that match and he underwent surgery Thursday to repair a fractured left clavicle. He will miss six to eight weeks.
Salloi has five goals, second on the team behind offseason trade acquisition Dejan Joveljic’s seven.
Last season, Houston recorded a 2-1 road win over Sporting KC and the two squads also played to a 1-1 tie in Houston.
–Field Level Media
