HOUSTON (Sept. 23, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla and goalkeeper Steve Clark were named to the MLSSoccer.com Team of the Matchday roster for Matchday 34, the league announced today. The selections mark Carrasquilla’s first appearance this season and Clark’s second.
The Dynamo defeated in-state rivals Austin FC 1-0 on Saturday to earn their eighth road win of the season and set a single-season Club record. The victory also marked Houston’s first win at Q2 Stadium, earning three crucial points in their push for the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Houston took the lead in the 83rd minute when defender Erik Sviatchenko headed a corner delivery from forward Amine Bassi down to 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.
Clark stepped up with five saves during the match to keep Austin off the scoresheet for Houston’s eighth clean sheet of the season. The veteran shot stopper set the tone in the first minute by stopping a right-footed shot from Gyasi Zardes before getting in the way of an equalizing opportunity in the 88th minute.
Carrasquilla (Matchday 34) and Clark (Matchday 23 and 34) are two of 16 Dynamo players to be named to the Team of the Matchday this season and are joined by Griffin Dorsey (Matchday 13, 28 and 32), Bassi (Matchday 17 and 32), Héctor Herrera (Matchday 13, 18 and 31), Ezequiel Ponce (Matchday 30), Franco Escobar (Matchday 7, 20 and 30), Daniel Steres (Matchday 27), Sebastian Ferreira (Matchday 22), Latif Blessing (Matchday 21), Andrew Tarbell(Matchday 17), Sviatchenko (Matchday 15), Ethan Bartlow (Matchday 9), Artur (Matchday 7), Brad Smith (Matchday 6) and Aliyu Ibrahim (Matchday 5). Head coach Ben Olsen was also named to the team for Matchday 9 after Houston’s 2-1 victory at Minnesota United FC.
The Dynamo are now undefeated in 14 of their last 16 MLS matches, while finding the back of the net 30 times over that stretch. Houston remains in the heart of playoff contention with four league matches remaining this season, including two at home and two versus Western Conference opponents above the playoff line. The Dynamo are looking to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2013.
The Dynamo next travel to face Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday, Sept. 28, before returning to Shell Energy Stadium to host the New England Revolution on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Tickets for all Dynamo home matches are available via SeatGeek HERE.
