Fotis Bazakos. MLS Career: 3 games; FC/gm: 24.3; Y/gm: 2.3; R: 0; pens: 0
HOUSTON DYNAMO -- OUT: DF Alex Dixon (concussion); MF Calen Carr (L hamstring strain); DOUBTFUL: DF Oscar Recio (concussion); MF Je-Vaughn Watson (L adductor strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Jermaine Taylor (R hip flex- or strain)
PHILADELPHIA UNION - OUT: FW Chandler Hoffman (L big toe fracture); FW Krystian Witkowski (concussion symptoms); DOUBTFUL: DF Sheanon Williams (R big toe avulsion fracture); PROBABLE: DF Gabriel Farfan (lower back/pelvis contusion); DF Chris Albright (R groin strain); MF Gabriel Gomez (L knee contusion/patellar tendonitis)
ALL-TIME (4 meetings): Dynamo 0 wins, 4 goals ... Union 2 wins, 6 goals ... Ties 2
AT HOUSTON (2 meetings): Dynamo 0 wins, 2 goals ... Union 2 wins, 4 goals ... Ties 0
RETURN MATCHES: 9/23: Philadelphia Union vs. Houston Dynamo, 4 p.m. ET; 10/20: Houston Dynamo vs. Philadelphia Union, 6:30 p.m. CT (NBC SN)
LAST YEAR (MLS): 3/19: HOU 0, PHI 1 (Califf 5) 8/6: PHI 1, HOU 1 (McInerney 15 -- Cameron 84)
Union are undefeated all-time in league play vs. Houston. They won both meetings at Robertson Stadium, including a 1-0 victory last April, while playing to two draws at PPL Park.
But the Dynamo won both legs of last year's Semifinal Series, a 2-1 win in Chester folowed by a 1-0 victory in Houston, on their way to MLS Cup 2011.
Coaches record: Dominic Kinnear vs. PHI: P4 W0 L2 D2 ... John Hackworth vs. HOU: first game
Dynamo Starting XI & Bench:
Union Starting XI:
MacMath; Williams, Okugo, Valdes, G. Farfan; M. Farfan, Carroll, Gomez, Daniel; Perlaza, Pajoy