Dynamo set for first road test at Rapids

The Dynamo will be out of their element when they visit the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, Houston's first road match after compiling a 2-0-1 home record.

"It is going to be a challenge for us because it's our first game away," Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera said. "If you want to qualify for the playoffs, you have to have a good balance with your teams at home and playing away. You need to get some points."

Colorado (0-2-2, 0 points) has a built-in advantage playing at the mile-high altitude, but so far it has not paid off. The Rapids have tied Portland 3-3 and Sporting Kansas City 1-1 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.

"Any time a team comes here, we want to make it difficult on them with the elevation, with our style of play and ability to press and keep possession," Rapids defender Keegan Rosenberry said. "We'll do our best to put our print on the game from the beginning."

Houston will try to avoid having to take chase the lead in the thin air. The Dynamo have allowed the first goal in two of their three matches.

The Dynamo must overcome history to record a victory on the road. Houston is 0-6-3 in its past nine trips to Colorado since winning there 3-1 on Oct. 4, 2008. The Dynamo have been blanked six times and scored one goal in the other three matches.

Rapids forward Kei Kamara plans to keep the streak alive.

"We're going to make it really difficult for teams to come to Colorado this year to play us," he said. "We've talked about it in our locker room -- making this place our fortress. It doesn't matter who it is, as long as we're ready, we put in that performance and our home supporters are out here cheering us on and are the 12th man for us, we're going to be ready."

--Field Level Media