Game Thread: Houston Dynamo vs Toronto FC

The Basics

Houston Dynamo vs Toronto FC

Wednesday, October 8, 5:30pm CT

BMO Field

Broadcast

CSN Houston (6 p.m pregame)

Yahoo Sports Radio 1560 AM and 850 AM (Spanish).

Preview

Two teams needing wins if they are to stay alive in the chase for places in the MLS Cup Playoffs meet when Toronto FC play host to the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday evening at BMO Field. TFC come into the match in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, three points below the red line and the final playoff position, following their 3-0 loss at the LA Galaxy last weekend. The Dynamo are four points further back, following their 1-0 loss at the New York Red Bulls to start their two-game road swing.

REFEREE: Armando Villarreal. AR1 (bench): Craig Lowry; AR2 (opposite): Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho; 4th: Silviu Petrescu MLS Career: 43 games; FC/gm: 23.0; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 15; pens: 10

SUSPENDED: none

WARNINGS:

SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: TOR: Michael Bradley ... HOU: Ricardo Clark, Boniek Garcia, Kofi Sarkodie

SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: TOR: Steven Caldwell, Jackson, Dominic Oduro, Warren Creavalle, Justin Morrow, Collen Warner, Gilberto ... HOU: Will Bruin, Giles Barnes, David Horst

DISABLED LIST: none

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: TOR: Quillan Roberts, Doneil Henry, Kyle Bekker, Manuel Aparicio (Canada, vs. Colombia, Oct. 14) ... HOU: Boniek García, Luis Garrido (Honduras, vs. Mexico, Oct. 9; vs. USA, Oct. 14); Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica, vs. Japan, Oct. 10)

Injuries

Dynamo:

OUT: Mark Sherrod - L knee ACL; Tally Hall - R knee ACL;

QUESTIONABLE: Will Bruin - R mid foot sprain

UNAVAILABLE: Boniek Garcia (International duty, Honduras); Luis Garrido (International duty, Honduras); Jermaine Taylor (International duty, Jamaica)

Toronto:

QUESTIONABLE: Mark Bloom - R knee; Gilberto - R hamstring

UNAVAILABLE: Quillan Roberts (International duty, Canada); Doneil Henry (International duty, Canada); Kyle Bekker (International duty, Canada); Manuel Aparicio (International duty, Canada)

HEAD-TO-HEAD ALL-TIME (17 meetings): Toronto FC 4 wins, 20 goals ... Dynamo 4 wins, 24 goals ...Ties 9

AT TORONTO (8 meetings): Toronto FC 3 wins, 11 goals ... Dynamo 1 win, 9 goals ... Ties 4