The Houston Dynamo start a stretch pivotal to their playoff hopes after they go to Southern California to play the primary of back-to-back video games towards road-weary Los Angeles FC.
The Dynamo (10-8-7, 37 factors) are coming off a 1-0 residence defeat towards Toronto FC, a outcome that dropped supervisor Ben Olsen’s group to eighth within the Western Convention standings.
And though the Dynamo have one match in hand towards 5 of the seven groups above them, they might want factors from this home-and-home towards the defending West champions if they’re going to attain a second consecutive postseason.
“We perceive that they are an excellent group. They proceed to place themselves in finals 12 months after 12 months as a result of they’ve confirmed that they are among the best groups on this league,” Olsen mentioned. “However we’re wholesome, and I feel we’ve loads to show proper now. We perceive that factors are precious. Each level counts proper now to attempt to put ourselves within the postseason.”
The Dynamo will even be trying to avenge a 2-0 loss to LAFC in final 12 months’s Western Convention ultimate, after beating the Black-and-Gold twice within the 2023 common season. They usually’ll be hoping for a primary MLS purpose from summer season striker signing Ezequiel Ponce, who scored as soon as in Leagues Cup play.
In the meantime, LAFC (14-5-5, 47 factors) could also be battling some fatigue after a busy week.
On Wednesday evening, supervisor Steve Cherundolo’s group gutted out a 1-0 U.S. Open Cup semifinal victory on the Seattle Sounders by way of Denis Bouanga’s late penalty kick.
That got here three days after a 3-1 defeat at Columbus in Sunday evening’s Leagues Cup ultimate, wherein the Black and Gold conceded twice in second-half stoppage time.
“I feel our LAFC gamers are monsters, and so they confirmed nice coronary heart tonight,” Cherundolo mentioned after Wednesday’s win. “Ability, management, management of their feelings, and the bodily facet of the sport as effectively to beat an excellent Sounders group on a really tough floor.”
Bouanga went 90 minutes in each video games, however Cherundolo should weigh the good thing about rotating his star participant towards his team-leading 16 targets.
Olivier Giroud, France’s all-time main scorer, might additionally make his MLS debut after he first took the sphere for his facet in 4 matches on the Leagues Cup.
–Area Stage Media
