Dynamo look to put loss behind them as they turn their sights to Portland

The Houston Dynamo are on the road to face the Portland Timbers this Saturday. This game will be the first time the two have faced each other this season. Last time the two faced each other the Dynamo knocked the Timbers out of the playoffs.

Houston’s Wednesday night game against the Philadelphia Union was a controversy filled game that ended in a 3-1 loss for the men in orange. Mauro Manotas got the home side on the score board early in the game but the Union tied things up in the 34th minute in a goal that looked like it should have been ruled offside. The real controversy hit in the 59th minute after Tomas Martinez was issued a straight red card after a VAR review on a foul. The play was initially whistled for a goal kick but after review the referee decided that Martínez was guilty of “a serious foul play for endangering the safety of the opponent” when he stepped on the foot of Union defender Auston Trusty on the play. After going down to 10 men the Dynamo gave up two more goals to seal the loss at 3-1.

The Dynamo have appealed the ruling and are hoping that the red card will be rescinded in time for the game on Saturday so that Martinez will be available.

On Saturday, the Timbers tied against the Montreal Impact. Montreal scored first in the 23rd minute of the game. Samuel Armenteros scored after Evan Bush dropped the ball in his own goalmouth to level the game 1-1. Two minutes later Montreal scored again to retake the lead. In the 65th minute of the game Diego Valeri headed the ball into the net to tie the game at 2-2 which would hold until the final whistle.

The Timbers are currently sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference standings while the Dynamo sit three spots below them in eighth place, but only four points separate the two teams. After Wednesday’s game the Dynamo need to get three points to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Things get underway in Portland at 10 pm CT on Saturday.