Sporting KC at Houston Dynamo - May 12, 2013

Page 4

HOUSTON DYNAMO (4-1-3-2): Tally Hall - Kofi Sarkodie, Jermaine Taylor, Bobby Boswell, Corey Ashe Adam Moffat - Boniek Garcia, Brad Davis (Luiz Camargo 90), Andrew Driver - Giles Barnes (Brian Ching 37), Will Bruin (Jason Johnson 90). TEAM NEWS  The Dynamo have now gone 225 minutes without conceding a goal, sneaking into the 10th-longest run without allowing a goal this year in MLS. The league best thus far is 546 minutes, by Sporting KC from March 9-April 20.  “We’re working hard to get where we are right now. We have a tough game on Sunday against [Sporting] Kansas City,” said Dynamo boss Dominic Kinnear. “There’s still 24 games left in the season, there’s still a long ways to go, [but] we’ve put ourselves in a good position. We’ve worked hard to get there and you have to work harder to stay.”  Will Bruin hit for multiple goals for the fourth time in his young MLS career, in 66 league appearances. But it was the first time he recorded two assists in the same game.  “I think I’ve matured so much since that hat trick game my first year,” Bruin said. “As a forward you want to be greedy, but you have to know when to be greedy and when to lay it off. Other times I would’ve tried to be greedy and score those myself. If there’s an open net I’ll lay it off every time.”  Bruin also became the first player to be involved in two or more goals and two or more assists in the same game since Jeff Cunningham did it for FC Dallas against the LA Galaxy on Sept. 12, 2009.  “I think the bear might have come out of hibernation tonight. Every forward needs, wants a game like this, to be totally honest. Two goals and two assists, that’s a pretty decent game. I think anybody would be happy with that, so [I’m] happy for him,”said Brad Davis. “Guy works hard week in and week out. When you do that, goals are going to end up coming – he got two great ones to come and there are many more to come.”  Of Bruin’s 21 career league goals, eight have come against D.C. United, including his first career hat trick scored April 29, 2011 at BBVA Compass Stadium.  “I scored my first goals against D.C. in my professional career. I guess [it’s] just a confidence thing. I should be playing like that against every team, but it is what it is,” Bruin said. Said defender Bobby Boswell: “I think he’s just hungry. He wants to improve,” said. “We call him angry sometimes because he really does get angry out there and wants to impose his games on other guys. He’s a guy that I don’t think you want to play against.”  With Davis back in the lineup after missing the Galaxy match through suspension, Ricardo Clark missed his first league game of the season, not included in the 18-man gameday roster.  “[Clark has] a little bit of a groin problem, so [we] didn’t want to risk it, so that’s the reason why he didn’t dress today. All of these guys have had two games in the space of four days with a lot of travel. They put in a great effort. Obviously, confidence makes injuries don’t seem so bad as they are and hopefully that’s the case when we play on Sunday.”  Andrew Driver and Boniek Garcia maintained their wide midfield roles, meaning Davis slotted into the center of the park along with Adam Moffat.  “It’s not my normal position playing in the center midfield, so [I’m] just trying to get in there to do my best to try and connect with guys and disrupt things and work hard in whatever aspect that might be to help the team win,” said Davis. “Like I said, we did a great job. Everyone did their roles properly and we got some great goals.” SPORTING KANSAS CITY Sporting Kansas City went down to a third defeat in four matches in stunning fashion, conceding the game’s only goal very late in a loss to Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday evening at Sporting Park. Sporting are in a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference with 17 points from 11 matches. LAST MATCH  The game-winning goal came four minutes into second-half stoppage time. From a throw-in deep in Sporting's end, SKC center back Aurélien Collin missed his clearance attempt on Brad Evans' pass into the middle of the box, and Djimi Traoré was right there to take advantage, firing past goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen from short range.  Sporting manager Peter Vermes made four changes to the team that rolled to a 4-0 win against Chivas USA at Sporting Park. Chance Myers and Josh Gardner came in at fullback for Mechack Jerome and Seth Sinovic, Benny Feilhaber started in the midfield for Paulo Nagamura, and C.J. Sapong replaced Claudio Bieler up top.  SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-1-2-3): Jimmy Nielsen - Chance Myers, Ike Opara, Aurelien Collin, Josh Gardner (Seth Sinovic 75) - Oriol Rosell - Benny Feilhaber (Claudio Bieler 66), Peterson Joseph - Graham Zusi, C.J. Sapong, Jacob Peterson (Kei Kamara 73). LAST MATCH  Sporting concluded their three-game homestand with a pair of losses, sandwiched around a dominant win against Chivas USA.  “I thought the first half we created a lot of good chances in and around the box, and I thought we dictated, play,” SKC manager Peter Vermes said. “But look, they scored a late goal on us and it was just one mistake after another and just completely unacceptable.”

MLS GAME INFORMATION


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.