Houston returns to league play at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 30 as they host Hispanic Heritage Night and in-state rivals FC Dallas in the final leg of the Texas Derby. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.
The Dynamo enter Saturday’s match after hoisting the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy in South Florida on Wednesday. After first-half goals by defender Griffin Dorsey and forward Amine Bassi, Houston defeated Inter Miam CF 2-1 to secure its first title under owner Ted Segal, general manager Pat Onstad and head coach Ben Olsen. The victory also secured Houston’s fourth domestic title in Club history after the Dynamo won back-to-back MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007, as well as the 2018 U.S. Open Cup. Head coach Ben Olsen became the third coach to win the U.S. Open Cup with two different teams. Notably, Houston never trailed in a match during its U.S. Open Cup championship campaign. Fans are welcomed to take photos with the U.S. Open Cup trophy on the concourse of Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday.
Houston currently sits fourth in the Western Conference standings and has the opportunity to clinch its first playoff berth since 2017 based on five different multi-step scenarios. The Dynamo boast a 6-1-3 (WLD) record since returning to MLS play after Leagues Cup on Aug. 20, outscoring opponents 21-6 during that stretch.
FC Dallas enters Saturday’s match sitting in the Western Conference’s final playoff spot with 40 points, after playing the Philadelphia Union to a 1-1 draw on the road. Alan Velasco scored his first goal of the season in the 36th minute to salvage the result, and Dallas has earned a league-best 17 points after trailing this season.
Both clubs are looking to secure their playoff position in the closing stretch of the regular season, and the final leg of the Texas Derby could go a long way to determining their fates. Houston holds a 10-4-9 (WLD) MLS all-time regular season record over Dallas at Shell Energy Stadium. In all competitions this year, the Dynamo boast a 14-3-4 (WLD) record at Shell Energy Stadium.
After drawing 1-1 at Dallas in May, Houston must beat Dallas on Saturday to bring El Capitán, a Civil War-era replica cannon, back to Shell Energy Stadium. Each season, the overall winner of the regular season series between the two in-state rivals earns the right to house the cannon at their stadium for the next season. The Dynamo will also need to find victory on Saturday to secure Copa Texas, the fan-inspired head-to-head competition between Houston, Dallas and Austin. Both titles are at stake on Saturday, and while securing an MLS playoff position is the priority, Houston controls its own destiny to becoming the Lone Star State’s 2023 regular season champ.
The Dynamo next travel to Canada to face CF Montréal on Wednesday, Oct. 4, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
