Preview: Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City - prediction, team news, lineups

The home side are bottom of the Western Conference, while the visitors are just two places higher in 12th position.

Match preview

After losing 16 of their 29 MLS games this season, Houston decided to relieve Paul Nagamura from his duties as head coach.

The Brazilian's last game in charge was a 2-1 away defeat to Seattle Sounders where the visitors took the lead through Daniel Steres, but two second-half goals from the hosts brought an end to Nagamura's time with Houston.

Following a promising season with Houston's reserve side Dynamo 2, Kevin Bundy has been named as interim boss for the final five matches.

Although Bundy has guided Dynamo 2 to the MLS Next Pro playoffs, that is a near impossible task to accomplish with the first team this season.

With only five games to play and 13 points adrift of the top seven, Houston are effectively out of the playoff picture, but they will be looking to move off the bottom of the Western Conference before the end of the regular season.

Meanwhile, Sporting KC are only one point better off than their hosts, and as a result they are also set to miss out on the playoffs.

Although a place in the top seven is seemingly out of the question, the visitors will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to four games on Saturday.

They were on the verge on claiming a third consecutive victory victory last weekend after Johnny Russell and Felipe Hernandez scored a goal apiece to give Sporting KC a 2-1 lead away to LA Galaxy.

The visitors were denied all three points by an Javier Hernandez penalty in the 88th minute, although Sporting KC may have been content with the draw after Hernandez missed the chance to win the game from the spot in stoppage time.

However, the 2-2 draw against the LA Galaxy extends a winless away run for Sporting KC to four matches, while they have conceded nine goals in their last three away games.

Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer form:

Sporting Kansas City Major League Soccer form:

Team News

Hector Herrera remains a doubt for Houston after missing the last three games through injury, while Griffin Dorsey will serve a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.

With Dorsey unavailable for Saturday's contest, Zarek Valentin is set to come into the side to slot in at right-back.

Memo Rodriguez was forced off in the first half against Seattle, and if the midfielder is not fit enough to feature at the weekend then Brooklyn Raines could be presented with starting place.

As for the visitors, hamstring problems will prevent Tim Melia and Ozzie Cisneros from featuring in Saturday's encounter.

Sporting KC are also unable to call upon the services of Kortne Thompson-Ford, Gadi Kinda and Alan Pulido, who are sidelined with injury issues.

After coming off the bench to score against LA Galaxy, Hernandez may be rewarded with a starting place in midfield.

Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:

Clark; Valentin, Steres, Parker, Junqua; Carrasquilla, Vera, Raines; Baird, Picault, Ferreira

Sporting Kansas City possible starting lineup:

Pulskamp; Pierre, Isimat-Mirin, Fontas, Ndenbe; Hernandez, Walter, Thommy; Russell, Salloi, Agada

We say: Houston Dynamo 1-1 Sporting Kansas City

Although Sporting Kansas City are unbeaten in their last three matches, they are also winless in their previous four away games, and we think that they will have to settle for a point against a struggling Houston Dynamo side.

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