HOUSTON (May 3, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC return to Shell Energy Stadium to host St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, May 4, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. The club will also celebrate Star Wars night, and tickets for the match are available HERE.
Houston currently sits eighth in the Western Conference with a 4-4-1 (WLD) record and 13 points, while looking look to bounce back from a two-match slide versus in-state rivals Austin FC and FC Dallas. In the most recent matchup, the Dynamo fell 2-0 at FC Dallas after playing 85 minutes of the match with 10 men when defender Griffin Dorsey was shown a red card early in the match.
The Dynamo continue to see reinforcements join the roster, recently trading for forward McKinze Gaines from Nashville SC and signing midfielder Jefferson Valverde on a full transfer from Ecuadorian side LDU Quito. Gaines, who has earned 55 MLS appearances (21 starts) since entering the league in 2021, made his Houston debut in the 84th minute at Dallas last week. Valverde is yet to arrive in market but brings with him championship experience on one of the best teams in South America.
Captain and Mexican international Héctor Herrera continues to work his way back to 90-minute fitness. The 34-year-old made his season debut as a substitute at home versus Austin FC on April 20, followed by another half hour contribution in Dallas last weekend. Herrera is returning from a knee injury that had sidelined him for the start of the season.
Houston continues to boast one of the best defensive records so far this season, despite a shuffling back line that has seen seven players start due to injuries. The team has allowed just 10 goals, which is tied for the second fewest across MLS. Additionally, Houston leads the Western Conference with 59.5 percent possession across the season, allowing the Dynamo to control matches and dictate pace of play.
St. Louis currently sits one place behind Houston in ninth in the Western Conference with a 2-1-6 (WLD) record and 12 points. In their most recent matchup, CITY came from behind twice to secure a point at home in a 3-3 goal fest against their rivals Sporting KC. St. Louis’ goals came from Klauss (31’), Célio Pompeu (45+3’) and Tomas Totland (90+2’)
The Dynamo took down CITY in the Round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup in February, advancing on a 2-2 aggregate score, with Houston’s away goal serving as the tiebreaker. St. Louis won the first leg 2-1 at home, before a 1-0 Dynamo victory in the second leg in Houston saw the orange through to the next round. Houston’s goal scorers in the series were Sebastian Kowalczyk and Erik Sviatchenko, who each scored their debut goals for the Dynamo.
Saturday will mark just the third league meeting between Houston and St. Louis, as 2023 marked CITY’s inaugural season that saw them finish atop the Western Conference regular season standings. The two clubs played to a 1-1 draw at Shell Energy Stadium in September last season, and the Dynamo will be looking for their first MLS victory versus CITY.
The Dynamo return to Shell Energy Stadium on Tuesday, May 7 to kick off their U.S. Open Cup title defense, hosting USL Championship side Detroit City FC in the Round of 32. Tickets for that match are available HERE.
