Preview: Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy

The Basics

Houston Dynamo at Minnesota United FC
Saturday, April 28, 2018, 7:00 p.m. CT
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Broadcast Information

KUBE 57 – 6:30 p.m. (CHANNEL LISTINGS)
ESPN+ – 7:00 p.m.
650 AM/Radio.com app – 6:30 p.m.
Univision Radio 1010 AM – 6:30 p.m.

Preview

Maybe the LA Galaxy are better off away from StubHub Center, where they’ve lost three consecutive games, including a 3-2 defeat to the New York Red Bulls Saturday night.

And BBVA Compass Stadium hasn’t exactly been the fortress it was in years past for the Houston Dynamo, who are 2-2-0 at home and are coming off a 2-1 loss to Minnesota United FC on the road Saturday.

The Galaxy have lost just one of their last eight matches against Houston (4W-3D). A total of 10 goals have been scored in the last two matches between the two sides, per Opta.

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Houston Dynamo   

It was an ideal start for Houston (2-3-2) with Alberth Elis scoring his fourth goal of the season in the 10th minute. But Darwin Quintero leveled from the penalty spot and then Ibson scored the eventual winner with 20 minutes remaining as the Dynamo fell to the Loons at TCF Bank Stadium.

Wilmer Cabrera made one change to his starting XI from the squad that defeated reserve-heavy Toronto FC, 5-1, the previous week with Oscar Boniek Garcia replacing Eric Alexander in the midfield.

“I’m disappointed because we came over here with the idea of winning the three points,” Cabrera said after the game. “We played well, but they had three attacks and scored two goals on us.  … We gave up two goals with two crosses. That’s concentration. We work on that. That’s something we need to fix because that’s not acceptable because we have experienced guys.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - A.J. DeLaGarza (torn left ACL), M - Juan David Cabezas (left quad), D - Philippe Senderos (right hamstring), D - George Malki (left knee sprain), D - Dylan Remick (concussion), D - Kevin Garcia (left hamstring), D - Jared Watts (hamstring)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Joe Willis — Andrew Wenger, Adolfo Machado, Leonardo, DaMarcus Beasley — Eric Alexander, Darwin Ceren — Alberth Elis, Tomas Martinez, Romell Quioto — Mauro Manotas

• Notes: Elis’ goal in Minnesota last weekend was just his third career road goal in league play. Eleven of his 14 career goals have come at BBVA Compass Stadium. … The Dynamo’s 5-1 victory over Toronto on April 21 is tied for the most goals scored in a MLS home match in team history, as well as tied for the second-largest margin of victory at home.

LA Galaxy

The LA Galaxy (3-4-1) dropped a third straight game at StubHub Center, falling to the Red Bulls, 3-2, Saturday night. The positive for the Galaxy is they rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie on goals by Ola Kamara and Giovani dos Santos and a new-look 4-3-3 formation.

But the Galaxy were left to rue conceding another early goal with Danny Royer netting his first goal of the season in the seventh minute. A week ago, LA fell behind in the 22nd minute en route to a 2-0 loss to Atlanta United in Carson.

“Like I said last time, if you chase the goal, you play different,” Zlatan Ibrahimovic said. “Today we played much different because we changed the tactic. I think it was working better, we were more solid today. But still, you losing the game after six minutes is not okay. To receive a goal so fast, chase that, and the second half starts and you concede another goal fast, you are still chasing.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: F - Bradford Jamieson IV (concussion), M - Jonathan dos Santos (calf), D - Rolf Feltscher (shoulder)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: David Bingham — Dave Romney, Michael Ciani, Jorgen Skjelvik, Ashley Cole — Perry Kitchen, Giovani dos Santos, Sebastian Lletget — Romain Alessandrini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ola Kamara

• Notes: David Bingham enters this weekend ranked second in saves (30) and fifth in shots faced (112). … The Galaxy’s 1-0 win over the Fire on April 14 snapped an 11-game road winless streak (8L-3D). They have not won consecutive road games since a three-game winning streak from May 14-27, 2017.

All-Time Series

• Overall: Houston Dynamo 9 wins, 31 goals … LA Galaxy 10 wins, 31 goals … 7 ties
• At Houston: Dynamo 6 wins, 19 goals … Galaxy 5 wins, 16 goals … 3 ties
• Last meeting at Houston: Houston Dynamo 3, LA Galaxy 3 (Sept. 27, 2017)

Officials

Referee: Alan Kelly
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson, Danny Thornberry
4th Official: Ismail Elfath
VAR: Alex Chilowicz