SAN JOSE, Calif. -
Quakes head coach Dominic Kinnear had his shot against his former club on May 5, defeating the Houston Dynamo 1-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium in thrilling fashion.
Come Friday, Quakes newcomer and former Houston forward Mark Sherrod will finally have his opportunity to play against his old club as the Quakes host the Dynamo at 8pm at Avaya Stadium.
- TICKETS:Quakes vs. Houston
For Sherrod, he's been chomping at the bit to get out there against the men in orange.
“It’s going to be fun,” Sherrod said. “I’ll get to see some familiar faces, but at the end of the day, it’s just another game. “It’ll be great to shake their hands, say hello, but it’s all about getting the three points."
After missing the first 12 matches of the 2015 MLS season, Sherrod has been working his way back into shape for San Jose. Sherrod, who had a goal called back in the Quakes’ Lamar Hunt Open Cup match against the Galaxy and his header cleared off of the goal line in Sunday’s match in Portland, is certainly getting back into the rhythm on the pitch.
“It’s good to be back. It’s been a long time coming,” Sherrod said. “I’m just trying to help the team any way I can. Whether it’s on the field or off the field, I’m just doing all I can do be a part of the team.”
Sherrod, 25, came to San Jose after a promising rookie season in Houston, recording two goals and one assist in nine games as a member of the Dynamo, while tallying a brace in a 5-2 loss against Real Salt Lake. However, in the 12th minute of a match against D.C. United, Sherrod tore his left anterior-cruciate ligament and was out the remainder of the season.
While he may have been temporarily sidelined physically, he was never out of the game mentally. Sherrod fully understands what it takes to compete week-in and week-out.
“My job is to win balls in the air, be strong up front and be dangerous in front of goal,” Sherrod said. “If I do my job, and the rest of the team does there’s, we give ourselves a great opportunity to beat our opponents on any given day."
The Quakes host Houston on Friday in hopes of getting back in the win column. If they work hard on both sides of the ball, they’ll improve on an impressive 4-1-2 record at home this season.
“We need to have a high work rate against them,” Sherrod said. “When we work hard, not a lot of teams in this league can beat us. Let’s just put a few goals in the back of the net and it’ll be a great day.”
