New York Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

New York Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 27
Red Bull Arena — Harrison
August 29 - 8 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Fresh off an Atlantic Cup victory over longtime rival D.C. United Sunday night, the New York Red Bulls host the Houston Dynamo Wednesday night in the penultimate stretch of five games in 15 days.

The Red Bulls' 1-0 win over D.C. United extended an unbeaten streak to five straight games (3W-0L-2D) and moved them back within two points of first-place Atlanta United in the Supporters’ Shield race.

The Dynamo, meanwhile, come to Red Bull Arena off an emotional 1-1 draw with FC Dallas in the Texas Derby that snapped a five-match losing streak. Houston, which haven’t won since July 7, is 10 points below the playoff line in the Western Conference.

New York Red Bulls

The Red Bulls (16-6-4) captured the Atlantic Cup with a second 1-0 victory of the season over D.C. United Sunday night at Red Bull Arena.

Kaku scored the game’s lone goal in the 56th minute, latching onto a failed headed clearance and taking a touch to his left to avoid Zoltan Stieber before blasting a low shot inside the far post. It was his fourth goal of the season — all four have been game winners.

“He’s a special player and he tends to show up in big moments,” Bradley Wright-Phillips said of Kaku. “I’m a big fan of Kaku. I just hope he carries on and gets better toward the playoffs because when he plays well, we play well.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Florian Valot (torn left ACL), D - Kyle Duncan (torn right ACL), M - Vincent Bezecourt (MCL sprain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Luis Robles — Kemar Lawrence, Aaron Long, Tim Parker, Michael Murillo — Tyler Adams, Sean Davis — Alex Muyl, Kaku, Andreas Ivan — Bradley Wright-Phillips

Houston Dynamo

It wasn’t the win Houston (7-11-7) desperately needed, but the Dynamo rallied for a late equalizer to earn another 1-1 draw against FC Dallas in the Texas Derby Thursday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Unlike the first draw between the sides, when the two goals were scored in the opening 10 minutes, both teams struck in the final 10 minutes with Michael Barrios putting the visitors in front in the 83rd minute before Ronaldo Peña scored his first MLS goal two minutes from full time. The Venezuelan took a poised first touch and put a clinical finish just past the outstretched arm of Jimmy Maurer and inside the near post.

“It was a normal derby with two teams organized, respecting each other,” Wilmer Cabrera said. “From our side, we wanted to cut the losing streak. … After our presentation against Real Salt Lake, today was a much better game from us.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Boniek Garcia
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - A.J. DeLaGarza (torn left ACL), M - Juan David Cabezas (left quad injury), F - Mac Steeves (left hip injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Joe Willis — Andrew Wenger, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Leonardo, DaMarcus Beasley — Boniek Garcia, Darwin Ceren — Alberth Elis, Tomas Martinez, Romell Quioto — Mauro Manotas

All-Time Series

Overall: New York Red Bulls 11 wins, 40 goals … Houston Dynamo 5 wins, 30 goals … 8 draws
At New York: Red Bulls 9 wins, 23 goals … Dynamo 0 wins, 7 goals … 3 draws
Last meeting at New York: New York Red Bulls 4, Houston Dynamo 3 (March 19, 2016)