HOUSTON â Sporting Kansas Cityâs Tim Melia has been among the best goalkeepers in MLS this year and is perhaps the key reason why SKC allowed the fewest goals in the league in the regular season.
The hamstring injury thatâll keep him out of Thursdayâs Western Conference Knockout Round match at Houston (9:30 pm ET; UniMas in the US | TSN4, TVAS in Canada | MLS LIVE Free Stream) should give an advantage to the Dynamo, right?
Not so fast, say Houston.
The Dynamo have played Sporting KC three times this season in all competitions, but have only faced Melia once. That match, a 2-0 SKC win in the US Open Cup, came before the likely MLS Goalkeeper of the Year injured his hamstring earlier this month.
Though Dynamo forward Romell Quioto seemed to imply that Melia's absence might be an advantage, but said the Dynamo would have a bigger leg up due to the home crowd at BBVA Compass Stadium.
âApart from that [Tim Melia not playing] we have the advantage that we're playing at home in front of our fans,â Quioto said. âWe've shown that we're a strong team at home and we hope we can continue that trend.â
Back in Kansas City, MLS veteran Andrew Dykstra has taken over while Melia has been out. Heâs started three games since Melia went down, with two of those matches coming against the Dynamo. Houston won, 2-1, in their first meeting with Dykstra on Oct. 11, but were shut out by the former D.C. and Chicago âkeeper four days later in a scoreless draw at Childrenâs Mercy Park.
Dykstra perhaps couldâve done more to save Houstonâs opener in the Dynamoâs 2-1 home win, as he got a hand to Tomas Martinezâs 63rd minute volley but couldnât turn it away.
Despite that flub, Deric doesnât see any advantage in having Melia out and Dysktra in on Thursday.
âI know Andrew Dysktra, heâs a good goalkeeper,â said Dynamo âkeeper Tyler Deric. âThereâs a lot of good No. 1s and good No. 2s in this league. It doesnât matter whoâs our opponent across from us. We have our game plan that weâre going to stick to.â
While they didnât say that Meliaâs absence will be a leg-up on Thursday, the Dynamo did acknowledge that the 31-year-old has been excellent this season.
âHeâs one of the top two, top three this year,â Deric said. âConsistency-wise he was very good. He made some big saves for them in key games.â
Houston head coach Wilmer Cabrera coached Melia while in charge of Chivas USA in 2014. Melia would join Sporting KC a year later and go on to win 2015 Comeback Player of the Year.
Cabrera agreed with Deric that Melia has been one of the best âkeepers in the league.
âHeâs been very important and key for them throughout the season,â he said.