Houston looking for road success vs. tough host San Jose

Finding success on the road has been difficult for the Houston Dynamo.

The Dynamo (1-2-1) take another stab at recording a victory when they visit the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif.

Houston is just 1-9-10 over its last 20 away games and played D.C. United to a draw in this season's lone road contest.

Making the quest tougher is that San Jose (1-2-1) has been superb at home since the start of the 2017 campaign. The Earthquakes are 11-3-5 during that stretch, including a 1-1 mark this season.

And with both teams having just four points through four games, landing the three points that come with a victory seems doubly alluring.

Even more so for Houston, which had a bye last week following a humbling 2-0 home loss to the New England Revolution.

"This extra week gives us an opportunity to correct that stuff and harp on it and really figure out what the issues are and solve them," Dynamo goalkeeper Chris Seitz told reporters. "It gives us extra time to really work out those kinks and get back on the field and be a better version of ourselves."

Both teams will be without a key player due to red cards.

Houston will be missing defender DaMarcus Beasley, who was carded against New England for interfering with a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

San Jose will be without defender Harold Cummings, who lost his cool in the closing minutes of last Saturday's 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union. Cummings was carded for "violent conduct" after he took a swing at Philadelphia's Auston Trusty.

Cummings will be missed, but the San Jose defense in general has been shaky. Earthquakes goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell is saddled with a 2.00 goals-against average.

"We're getting more organized in the back so that we can play the ball out easily," Tarbell told reporters. "We are working on that every week."

Midfielder Vako and forward Danny Hoesen share the San Jose team lead with two goals.

Forwards Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas each have two goals to pace Houston. Seitz has a 1.50 GAA.

--Field Level Media