Sounders v Houston Dynamo (Match Preview)

Sounders FC v Houston Dynamo

July 11th Kick off 1pm

Referee: Mark Geiger. Assistants: Corey Rockwell; Emiliano Monje;
4th: Landis Wiley

Houston Dynamo – Been a Lot of Things in a Short Time

A while ago, the Editor of this site suggested to Adrian Hanauer that they could brand and market this fixture as “The Not Really Expansion Clubs, Sorta but Not Quite, Derby.” It wasn’t a ball he chose to pick up and run with. But whereas Sounders early life has had the advantages of history, tradition, an existing fan base, some players, and a continuity in staff, Houston Dynamo began life with something other than a blueprint and a vision.

They began with an entire club, players, coaching staff, incorporation, the works. In short, they began with the San Jose Earthquakes. On December 15, 2005, having failed to procure a soccer specific stadium (SSS) in San Jose, the club was wholesale relocated to Houston, Texas. The team’s name, logo, history and statistics were not transferred and those remained inactive in San Jose until a new unconnected franchise began in San Jose shortly after in 2007. All of San Jose’s players and coach Dominic Kinnear moved to Houston.

To add to the strangeness of the whole story, they started playing their games at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium in the south-east of the Bayou City. It is the home of the Houston Cougar’s American Football side and was once home to the Houston Oilers.

What’s in a Name?

But the real controversy was to come. On January 25, 2006, the new franchise unveiled its new name after an online survey for the fans had offered Apollos, Bulls, Eagles, Gatos, Lonestars, Stallions, Toros, Americans, Buffaloes, Generals, Houston 1836, Mustangs, Stars and Houston 1836. They chose 1836 and chose themselves right into a Texas size political controversy.

According to MLS & AEG, who chose the name, the 1836 name referred to the year that the city of Houston was founded by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen. However, it was also the year that Texas obtained its independence from Mexico. This event is seen as pivotal in the development of Texas as a state, and is a matter of some pride for many Texans, but the role the date plays in the hearts and minds of the Mexican population of the city is somewhat different. In addition, Houston 1836’s logo featured a silhouette of General Sam Houston, one of Houston’s and Texas’ most famous historical figures.

So before a ball was even kicked, the new franchise had managed to alienate and offend a large part of its target audience, Houston’s large Mexican population. Eventually, the team was renamed the Dynamo and that is what it has been known as since.

Incidentally, the episode wasn’t Houston’s first brush with an embarrassing name. A shiny new, and extremely pleasant, baseball stadium was built to replace the decaying Houston Astrodome. After selling the naming rights, the stadium was called Enron Field. Needless to say, it isn’t called that anymore. Orange juice anyone?

And y’all thought Seattle Alliance was embarrassing?

To the Football, Both Sides in Cracking Form

Sounders FC have won their last three matches, including two Open Cup wins and a very impressive though hard fought win over the Rapids. Houston likewise have won three in a row and again two were on Open Cup duty, although unlike Seattle, two of them were against lower league teams. A shock defeat at recovering Beckaholics, LA Galaxy, was Houston’s only defeat in their last FIFTEEN games, and they have risen to the top of the Western Conference table, having reeled Chivas USA’s early lead in.

Houston Dangermen

Houston’s flightlist cargo may be better defined by who’s not on it, than by who is. Brian Ching, Stuart Holden and Andrew Hainault are at the Gold Cup, former Seattle Sounder Cam Weaver is injured, likewise Eddie Robinson and Wade Barrett. Bobby Boswell and Geoff Cameron are Houston’s only two players who have played every MLS minute and they are both suspended.

Midfielder Brad Davis should be available though. At 1341 minutes, he is Houston’s next busiest outfielder, after the also unavailable Stuart Holden. Brad has scored twice this season and constructed seven assists. Naturally left-footed, Brad is known for his crossing ability. He has three international caps. Brad is probably best remembered for scoring the game winning penalty kick in the shootout win over Panama in the 2005 Gold Cup Final.

Also in midfield will be Confederations Cup hero Ricardo Clark. Ricardo has started 11 games for the Dynamo and finished every one of them, which suggests a great degree of energy from the Georgia born international. The Houston website marks him as a tenacious tackler and talented long-range shooter, but of his 15 shots in MLS this year only five have been on target and he is still looking for his first goal. Although in the Gold Cup squad, it appears that he may not be required for the Haiti match.

Call him a legend, call him a veteran, everyone in the game has amazing respect for Pat Onstad. Pat is 41 and comes from Vancouver BC. Together with Kasey, they will set a record for the oldest combined ages for goalies in an MLS game. (Prove me wrong!) Pat is seven saves short of 600 in MLS. Before joining MLS, Pat had spells at Dundee United and many Canadian clubs starting with the Vancouver 86ers in 1987, but he has played much of his football on Canada’s east coast. He has 56 Canadian caps and his final international game was an August 2008 World Cup qualification match against Jamaica. You might even recognise him as the goalkeeper on the tarpaulin covering the seats in the upper deck. Now that’s being a legend!

Sigi Schmid has only ever beaten Houston once, lost two and drawn three. Dominic Kinnear has never led a side against Seattle. He was born in Glasgow and his deputy John Spencer has been capped 14 times for Scotland, and made 103 appearances for Sounders next opponents, Chelsea.

Houston Injuries

DF Eddie Robinson
OUT – L knee surgery

DF Wade Barrett
OUT – L gastrocnemius strain

FW Cam Weaver
OUT – R groin

DF Craig Waibel
PROBABLE – R hamstring strain

Discipline

Bobby Boswell
Houston Dynamo
Suspension/Fine: 7/11/09 vs. SEA, $250
Reason: Caution Accumulation

Geoff Cameron
Houston Dynamo
Suspension/Fine: 7/11/09 vs. SEA, $250
Reason: Caution Accumulation

Stadium

Houston Dynamo’s home is the 32,000 capacity Robertson Stadium, located on the University of Houston campus in southeast Houston, where they have played since their creation. A three-year lease was signed to play at the stadium while plans for a soccer-specific stadium are finalized.

Before Houston visited Seattle, Prost Amerika visited Houston. See Joe Armand’s account of his trip to watch the Dynamo in their own backyard.

For another match preview, please visit Sounder at Heart.