Dynamo-Toronto FC Preview
Toronto FC remains in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race despite getting shut out over the weekend.
The Houston Dynamo's postseason hopes took a big blow after failing to score last time out.
With both teams looking to bounce back, Toronto FC goes for a season best-tying third consecutive home win Wednesday night against Houston.
Toronto fell 3-0 at Los Angeles on Saturday after having won its previous two games at home and scoring three goals in each.
"We need to get a few more guys in and around the box," coach Greg Vanney told the team's official website. "We need to be a little more dangerous in the final third, but the takeaway there was a lot of guys that had good performances."
Vanney's club sits three points behind Columbus for the East's fifth and final playoff berth and four back of fourth-place New York, which hosts Toronto on Saturday, but has a game in hand on both.
Toronto (11-12-7) first turns its attention to Houston (10-14-6), which suffered a 1-0 loss at New York on Saturday and dropped to 1-8-1 over its last 10 road contests.
"Unfortunately we didn't come out of the gates well," said six-time All-Star Brad Davis, whose team is four points behind TFC with four games left. "I feel like we've allowed too many goals, or at least too many good chances right out of the locker room. That's definitely something we would like to do better at.
"All you can do is keep trying, keep pushing."
Davis scored the first two goals at BMO Field on July 12 before Toronto stormed back to win 4-2. The teams played to 2-all draw seven days later in Houston as the Dynamo blew two one-goal leads.
"I think Houston at the end of the day really has nothing to lose at this point. I imagine they'll be fairly relaxed," Vanney said. "It's a must win for us. Not just for the points but also to drive our fans. They deserve that and we need to do this at home."
Toronto, which won a season-high three straight at BMO Field from May 17-June 7, has a 3-1-4 all-time home record against Houston.
TFC won't have to worry about containing Dynamo starters Boniek Garcia and Luis Garrido after they were called up by the Honduran national team.
"We have a crowded schedule and we're missing some important players," coach Dominic Kinnear said.
Will Bruin has scored a team-high 10 goals for Houston, but his status remains unclear after missing five games with a sprained foot.
"It's one of those injuries that there's nothing I can do to speed it up," he said. "I don't want to come back not 100 percent because I feel I'd be hurting the team."
Toronto striker Jermain Defoe is set to play his second game since returning from an adductor injury that sidelined him for over six weeks. Defoe, who scored twice in the July 12 win over Houston, leads the club with 11 goals in league play.