The Houston Dynamo start a stretch pivotal to their playoff hopes once they go to Southern California to play the primary of back-to-back video games in opposition to road-weary Los Angeles FC.
The Dynamo (10-8-7, 37 factors) are coming off a 1-0 residence defeat in opposition to 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 in opposition to 5 of the seven groups above them, they might want factors from this home-and-home in opposition to the defending West champions if they’ll attain a second consecutive postseason.
“We perceive that they are an excellent workforce. They proceed to place themselves in finals 12 months after 12 months as a result of they’ve confirmed that they are the most effective groups on this league,” Olsen stated. “However we’re wholesome, and I feel now we have quite a bit to show proper now. We perceive that factors are helpful. Each level counts proper now to attempt to put ourselves within the postseason.”
The Dynamo can even be seeking to avenge a 2-0 loss to LAFC in final 12 months’s Western Convention remaining, after beating the Black-and-Gold twice within the 2023 common season. They usually’ll be hoping for a primary MLS objective from summer time 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 remaining, by which the Black and Gold conceded twice in second-half stoppage time.
“I feel our LAFC gamers are monsters, they usually confirmed nice coronary heart tonight,” Cherundolo stated after Wednesday’s win. “Talent, management, management of their feelings, and the bodily facet of the sport as effectively to beat an excellent Sounders workforce on a really troublesome floor.”
Bouanga went 90 minutes in each video games, however Cherundolo should weigh the good thing about rotating his star participant in opposition to his team-leading 16 objectives.
Olivier Giroud, France’s all-time main scorer, might additionally make his MLS debut after he first took the sector for his facet in 4 matches on the Leagues Cup.
–Subject Stage Media
