HOUSTON (Sept. 27, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC travels to face Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday, Sept. 28, with kickoff scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CT at Lumen Field.
The Dynamo can secure their place in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday with a victory versus Seattle or an FC Dallas loss/draw versus Orlando City SC. Houston is looking to qualify for the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 2013.
Fans can support the team from Houston at J-Bar-M at the Club’s official watch party. Fans can also follow the action live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Houston currently sits fifth in the Western Conference with 48 points and a 13-8-9 (WLD) record. The Dynamo are undefeated in 14 of their last 16 MLS matches, while finding the back of the net 30 times over that stretch.
The Dynamo remain in the heart of playoff contention with four league games remaining in their push for the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, including two at home and two versus Western Conference opponents above the playoff line.
Houston is coming off a 1-0 road win at Austin to earn their eighth road win of the season and set a single-season Club record (previously seven road wins in 2007). The victory also marked Houston’s first win at Q2 Stadium. Houston broke the scoreless match in the 83rd minute when defender Erik Sviatchenko headed a corner delivery from forward Amine Bassi down to midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla. The Panamanian international then fired the ball into the back of the net with a bicycle kick for his third goal of the season.
Carrasquilla earned his first MLSSoccer.com Team of the Matchday selection for his performance, while goalkeeper Steve Clark made his second appearance this season after tallying five saves versus Austin to secure Houston’s eighth clean sheet of the season. Notably, the veteran shot stopper set the tone from the very beginning by stopping a shot from Gyasi Zardes in the first minute of the game before getting in the way of an equalizing opportunity in the 88th minute.
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 just 33 goals this season, which is the fewest in the Western Conference and tied for the second fewest in MLS. Houston also leads MLS with 59.6 percent possession across the season, allowing the Dynamo to control matches and dictate pace of play.
The Sounders sit sixth, one spot below the Dynamo, in the Western Conference standings with a 13-9-8 (WLD) record and 47 points. Seattle is coming off a 2-2 home draw versus West-Coast rivals San Jose Earthquakes as Jordan Morris scored a brace for the hosts, giving him 13 regular-season goals, a single-season career high for the striker, but a late equalizer by San Jose sent each team home with a point. The Sounders have won three of their last five matches since the restart of MLS play, while Morris leads the team in goals (13) and Albert Rusnak leads the team with 13 assists.
Houston will be looking to reach another milestone on Saturday – its first win at Seattle. In their most recent match up this season, the two sides played to a 2-2 draw in Houston behind a brace from Dynamo midfielder Latif Blessing.
The Dynamo have a former Sounders player on their roster in defender Brad Smith, who won the 2019 MLS Cup with Seattle after starting his MLS career there in 2018 on loan from Liverpool. Houston signed the Australian international in January 2023, and he has recorded 37 appearances (four starts), three goals and four assists since joining the Club. Overall, Smith has scored six goals and tallied 16 assists across 116 appearances (67 starts) in his MLS career.
Houston returns to Shell Energy Stadium to host the New England Revolution on Wednesday, Oct. 2, before hitting the road again on Saturday, Oct. 5 to face St. Louis CITY. Tickets for all Dynamo home matches are available via SeatGeek HERE.
