HOUSTON (July 12, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC hosts Minnesota United FC on Saturday, July 13, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. The Club will support and celebrate Houston with a 713 H-Town Night at Shell Energy Stadium.
Building upon this season’s new purple Still Holdin’ alternate jersey, the organization will celebrate what makes Houston great, anchored in the unique sights and sounds of Houston culture, while driving support for Houstonians through hurricane relief efforts. Fans can find more information and purchase tickets for the match HERE.
Houston enters Wednesday’s match eighth in the Western Conference with an 8-7-6 (WLD) record and 30 points. The Dynamo have only lost once in their last seven matches, while finding the back of the net 16 times during that stretch.
Houston is coming off an unusual week, as their match versus LAFC on Saturday was postponed to a future date due to inclement weather in the Houston area, and the impacts of Hurricane Beryl continue to be felt throughout the city.
In their previous match, the Dynamo are coming off a hard fought 3-2 road loss to Real Salt Lake, who currently sit second in the Western Conference. Forward Aliyu Ibrahim opened scoring with a goal in the eighth minute for his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Houston then tied the match at two goals apiece in the 54th minute when captain Héctor Herrera’s cross deflected into the goal off a Salt Lake defender. However, a 67th minute goal from Braian Ojeda sent Houston home empty handed.
The Dynamo continue to boast one of the best defensive records so far this season, even with a shuffling back line that has seen seven players start due to injuries. The team has allowed 26 goals this season, which is tied for the second fewest in the Western Conference, Houston leads the Western Conference with 57.9 percent possession across the season, allowing the Dynamo to control matches and dictate pace of play.
Minnesota enter Saturday’s match tenth in the Western Conference with an 8-9-5 (WLD) and 29 points. The Loons are coming off a 2-1 road defeat to the LA Galaxy. After going down to a Gabriel Pec goal in the 25th minute, Minnesota’s Teemu Pukki leveled the score in the 73rd minute, however, Los Angeles found the match-winner in the 90th minute to break the hearts of the visiting team.
Houston and Minnesota met earlier this season in Minneapolis in a match that sent the Dynamo home with three points after a 2-1 victory. Houston found the scoreboard first in the 38th minute after a corner delivery from forward Amine Bassi found the back of the net off Minnesota’s Alejandro Bran. Houston’s match-winner came from midfielder Sebastian Kowalczyk in the 77th minute after he created his own space on a pass from Bassi and fired the ball into the back of the net for his first-career MLS goal.
The Dynamo have one former Minnesota player on their roster in midfielder Jan Gregus, who Houston signed in January. The 33-year-old Slovakian began his MLS career with the Loons in 2019 as a Designated Player and led Minnesota to their first appearance in the Audi MLS Cup playoffs in 2019. Gregus scored the first ever postseason goal for the Loons in their first-round match against the LA Galaxy in 2019. The midfielder tallied an assist the following year in the 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the first round of the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, the first ever postseason triumph for the Loons. Minnesota ultimately reached the Western Conference Final with Greguš playing every minute of the postseason for the club.
One player availability note for Saturday’s match is that Dynamo defender Franco Escobar will be suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
Notably, Dynamo captain Héctor Herrera was recently named to the roster for the 2024 Major League Soccer All-Star Game. The midfielder is one of two players selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber, alongside Columbus Crew’s Darlington Nagbe. This will be Herrera’s second consecutive All-Star Game appearance after representing Houston in last year’s match versus Premier League side Arsenal FC. The MLS All-Stars will face a team of All-Stars from LIGA MX on July 24 in Columbus, Ohio. Dynamo fans can watch the game on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Additionally, last week, the Dynamo hosted forward Ezequiel Ponce’s introductory press conference. Houston signed the 27-year-old Argentinian from AEK Athen in Greece on a club-record transfer fee last month. Ponce will occupy a Designated Player spot and joins the Dynamo on a full transfer through June 2027 with club options through December 2027 and 2028. Ponce will first be eligible to play in Houston’s July 20 match at Vancouver Whitecaps FC once the MLS Secondary Transfer Window opens.
The Dynamo next start a two-match road trip to the West Coast, facing the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, July 17 before taking on Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, July 20.
