Houston Dynamo Arrive with More Hands on Deck

Cameron and in form Boswell Available for League Leaders

June 21

Brad Davis who was considered by many to be the best opponent Sounders have faced this season (not counting Chelsea), appears to have recovered from the bout of flu that kept him out of Houston’s 1-1 draw in Toronto.

Canadian international Andrew Hainault has returned from Gold Cup duty with Canada after their 1-0 loss to Honduras. In the MLS meeting between earlier this month, Houston’s Geoff Cameron and Bobby Boswell were suspended due to card accumulation. Both had, at the time, played every minute of every game for the Dynamo, and their absence was influential in Dominic Kinnear’s forced reorganisation. Both are now available should Kinnear want them. Former Sounder Cam Weaver, who has missed three weeks with a groin strain, is doubtful, Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said.

Bobby Boswell scored the dramatic equaliser for the Houston, allowing them to escape with a 1-1 draw in that draw against Toronto. Brad Evans, Stuart Holden, Brian Ching, are still on Gold Cup duty, as is Sounders new signing Leo Gonzales with Costa Rica. Zach Scott, having excelled against Chelsea, may be in line for a competitive recall.

The winners of the Open Cup title attain entry to the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League and a $100,000 prize.

Seattle Sounders’ record is 14 wins and just five defeats in their games there in the last four years, and Sounders coach Sigi Schmid thinks that the intimate atmosphere of Starfire gives the home side an advantage.

“There are a lot of guys on our team who have played some matches here and are familiar with it. The crowd is close and the crowd is pro-Seattle which gives us a good advantage and certainly helps our team. The surface is not the ideal surface for us either. But it is a surface that we are maybe a little more used to than the opponent is. It’s a whole different atmosphere. You have got to come to our place. And the crowd is here and they are right on top of you. It could be a little intimidating.”

A total of NINE MLS All Stars are on the two rosters, Seattle’s Kasey Keller, Freddie Ljungberg, Fredy Montero and Jhon Hurtado; and Houston’s Brad Davis, Brain Ching, keeper Pat Onstad, Geoff Cameron and Stuart Holden. It is unlikely all will play, for example Ljungberg has not starred in the Open Cup yet this season.

The winners of this semi final will play either DC United or Rochester Rhinos who meet earlier today in Maryland.

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