With Sporting KC heading south to face Eastern Conference rivals Houston, I caught up with Dynamo broadcaster, Glenn Davis, to preview the match. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT on Friday with live coverage available on KMCI (38 the Spot), SKCTV, Sports Radio 810 WHB, and La Gran D 1340 AM.
JF: How have the Dynamo been playing in recent weeks and what's their form is heading into Friday's match?
GD: Well they haven’t scored a goal in their last three games. They’ve lost 3-0, 2-0 and 3-0. They’re really in a pretty tough place right now, looking for anything, really, to try and turn it around. I think there’s a bit of a confidence loss right now, which happens with teams. This is not an excuse, because everybody’s lost players, including Sporting Kansas City, and everybody who the Dynamo play has lost players, but you lose Brad Davis, Ricardo Clark and Boniek García out of your midfield and that’s just so much experience to overcome.
JF: With both teams missing several players due to injuries and National Teams, how that will affect this match?
GD: It makes the game more unpredictable, it provides opportunities to others, but right now, I don’t think anybody on Houston is taking advantage of the opportunity they’re getting with the absence of others. That’s been a struggle. They Dynamo are conceding a lot of goals. I think they’re conceding more goals than anybody in the league right now, yet they’re still in fourth place. There’s a chance to turn things around, but it’s pretty tough times right now. To get back to your question, it makes the game more unpredictable with those guys missing and it also provides opportunities for others in their careers.
JF: What are your thoughts on Dom Dwyer's play this season with Sporting KC?
GD: Well I think he’s been excellent. I had questions about him, but I’m eating my words. I think he’s been absolutely excellent. His mobility, his insatiable attitude to try and score goals, it’s tough. The Dynamo have struggled with Espindola and Chris Rolfe, who are two mobile types of strikers, a little bit more unpredictable as opposed to target men, so I think he’s going to be a real challenge for the Dynamo, I don’t think it’s any question. Dwyer’s having an outstanding season.
JF: Most people are familiar with the history between these two teams and the rivalry they've bult in the last several years. Do you see the players and coaches from each side have a little more incentive heading in this match?
GD: I think Sporting Kansas City, in my opinion, are the real Dynamo rival. We don’t play FC Dallas enough. This is two of my favorite teams in MLS just out of the pure competitiveness and desire to win they have. The staffs are all great and they all have a tremendous mutual respect, I don’t think there’s any question. When the game’s over and somebody’s won or lost, there’s people walking off the field not happy. There’s a genuine special dislike for each other when it comes to winning and losing, and I think that makes for competitive games.
JF: Looking at Friday’s match, what are you looking forward to seeing?
GD: There’s a lot of unknowns with different games and people getting opportunities. These are interesting games, and sometimes you find out about a player you didn’t know a whole lot about just because they aren’t seeing the field a lot. For those players it’s a tremendous opportunity to impress the manager. In the case of Sporting Kansas City, I’m looking forward to seeing some of these new names that I haven’t really had a great opportunity to watch. For the Dynamo, it’s a pretty tough period right now. I’m really looking to see which players are going to step up here, and I think it’s an important game from the standpoint of you need something positive here. The Dynamo have lost three in a row, they don’t want to lose four in a row, and I think the same thing goes from Sporting. Nobody wants to go into this break on a losing note. It’s almost the halfway point of the season, and you want to be successful in the standings. I think there’s a lot at stake here Friday night.
