HOUSTON (June 21, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC travel east to the nation’s capital to face D.C. United on Saturday, June 22, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. Saturday will mark head coach Ben Olsen’s first MLS match in the nation’s capital since departing the club in 2020.
Olsen spent more than two decades with D.C. United as a player (1998-2009) and head coach (2010-20). As a player, the Pennsylvania native made 221 MLS appearances and scored 29 goals, while helping D.C. win the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup, 1999 and 2004 MLS Cups and 2008 U.S. Open Cup. As a head coach in D.C., Olsen won 113 MLS matches, while helping United make the postseason six times and win the 2013 U.S. Open Cup. He was also named the 2014 MLS Coach of the Year.
Houston enters Saturday’s match eighth in the Western Conference with a 6-6-6 (WLD) record and 24 points.
The Dynamo are coming off a 2-2 home draw versus Seattle Sounders FC in a match that included two goals from midfielder Latif Blessing, starting in place of midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, who joined Panama for Copa America this week.
Blessing scored in the 30th and 39th minutes (assisted by forwards Amine Bassi and Aliyu Ibrahim, respectively) to bring his goal tally to five over the last five matches. The Ghanaian’s current career season high came in 2019 when he scored six goals with LAFC, and Wednesday also marked the midfielder’s first match scoring two goals since August of that season. As a team, the Dynamo have now scored nine goals across the last four matches
The Dynamo continue 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 22 goals this season, which is the second fewest in the Western Conference. Additionally, Houston leads the Western Conference with 57.5 percent possession across the season, allowing the Dynamo to control matches and dictate pace of play.
D.C. United enter Saturday’s match 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 4-8-7 (WLD) record and 19 points. D.C. has not won a match in their last seven dating back to May 11 and are coming off a 1-0 home defeat to Atlanta United FC after a 79th-minute goal from Jay Fortune.
Houston will look to add to its dominant 15-7-5 (WLD) record versus D.C., in which the Dynamo have outscored United 45 goals to 28 goals. Saturday will mark the two clubs’ first meeting since May 2022, and the Dynamo will be looking for their sixth road win versus D.C.
Houston next hosts Charlotte FC on Saturday, June 29 with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium. The Club will celebrate Pride Night throughout matchday, and tickets for the match are available HERE.
