Dynamo set for first of back to back games against Toronto

In a weird twist of scheduling the Dynamo are set to face Toronto FC back to back. This Saturday they will be up in Canada taking on the fourth place team then they will return to Houston and face off again on July 19.

Sitting fourth in the East, Toronto have 21 points so far this season while the Dynamo sit three points behind them with 18. A win would draw the team level with them in the standings. However, Toronto has only played fourteen games so far this season and the Dynamo have played 18.

Fourth place Toronto are a far cry from the ninth place they finished the 2013 season in. Tim Bezbatchenko came on as general manager in September of 2013 and spent the offseason making moves. Midfielder Michael Bradley was brought in from AS Roma, but he has only played seven games so far for Toronto. Jermain Defoe was brought in from Tottenham Hotspurs and the goalkeeper from Brazil's national team Julio Cesar was also brought in on loan from Queen Park Rangers. The loan for Cesar was supposed to last until the end of the season, but Queen Park recalled him after the World Cup. On May 8 they traded Chivas USA for Luke Moore.

Toronto had been riding a six-match unbeaten streak that came to an end against D.C. United last weekend. Now without Julio Cesar Joe Bendik is in goal for Toronto and he let in two goals against DCU. Defoe is leading the team with eight goals and two assists on the season. Luke Moore is their next highest scorer with three goals in the short time he has been there. The Dynamo will have to keep Defoe on lock down if they want to make it out of Canada alive.

Houston just snapped their losing streak after tying the New York Red Bulls on July 4. The team has had to weather a barrage of injuries this season. Ricardo Clark just returned from a concussion that has kept him out much of the season. Corey Ashe, Jermaine Taylor and David Horst should all be available for Saturday's game after missing the last one for injuries. Back last game was Brad Davis and Boniek Garcia who had been away at the World Cup. The last game was the best game that fans have seen the team play in a while, but it still left a lot to be desired. The defense is still leaking like a sieve and our striker still isn't back on the scoreboard.  Will Bruin started the season on a goal scoring tear, but has since cooled off. Giles Barnes already has 58 shots on the season, but he only has four goals so far this season. The team has to find a way to start putting the ball in the back of the net.

It's well known that the Dynamo don't do well on the road but sitting seventh in the standings they don't have time to be poor at home or on the road. The time to save their season is now.

The Dynamo kick things off in Toronto at 6pm CT on Saturday, July 12.