After a hard fought 3-2 loss to FC Dallas last weekend, the Impact travels to Houston on Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s matchup versus the Dynamo (8:30pm EDT, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690).
With the first game of the season in the books, a number of narratives have emerged for the bleu-blanc-noir.
A tense rivalry
Fancy to see that the Impact plays the Dynamo so early in the year, after the boys in blue fell to the orange in a trying fashion, losing both the game (3-0), and its top player in Marco Di Vaio due to a suspension resulting from an expulsion in its first ever MLS playoff appearance. And Di Vaio wasn’t the only one to be sanctioned; Nelson Rivas and Andres Romero were also shown red cards and the Impact finished the match with just nine men. This all adds to already tense rivalry that has been brewing between the two clubs.
Injuries
In an unfortunate twist of fate, midfielder Sanna Nyassi, who has been one of the Impact’s better players throughout camp and the season opener, left Saturday’s game in the second half. The Gambian player scored the game’s first goal, and had two in preseason in Orlando.
Chemistry on the road
The Impact remained in Dallas following last weekend’s contest, and is busing it to Houston on Thursday. Will that time on the road hurt the Impact or will the chemistry continue to build as it did last year with a win in Portland after the team stayed on the West Coast following its opener against Seattle?
