Houston Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen has urged his crew to search out their medical edge in a troublesome check in opposition to Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
The Dynamo had misplaced simply one among their final 10 MLS matches earlier than the Leagues Cup break, successful 4 and drawing 5 of the opposite video games in that streak.
Nonetheless, they returned to league motion with a 1-0 defeat to Toronto FC final day out and sit eighth within the Western Convention.
And Olsen has challenged his crew to enhance their finish product in opposition to the Leagues Cup finalists.
“The final sport was not the end result we wished, that’s for positive,” he mentioned.
“I’m beginning to sound like a damaged file: we play properly, we now have numerous probabilities. We are able to do all that stuff, however we don’t make the play.
“If we’re going to be the crew we wish to be, we must be killers, be far more cut-throat within the closing third. We are able to’t maintain anticipating our defence to get shutouts in each sport.”
In the meantime, LAFC bounced again from Leagues Cup closing heartbreak by reaching the US Open Cup closing with a 1-0 victory over Seattle Sounders.
In MLS, they’re 5 factors behind leaders LA Galaxy, having misplaced their final league match 3-1 to San Jose Earthquakes, however head coach Steve Cherundolo has confidence in his crew.
“Our LAFC gamers are monsters,” he mentioned. “They present nice coronary heart and ability, and their bodily facet of the sport is nice.
“Easy mentality offers them the sting. I’ve additionally been pleased with the management and managing of the minutes in current matches.”
Centered and prepared #Hustlin4More pic.twitter.com/z7VuwErzWC
— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) August 29, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LAFC – Denis Bouanga
Denis Bouanga has not been concerned in a objective in any of his 4 conferences with the Dynamo (incl. playoffs).
They’re the one MLS opponent he has confronted greater than twice and never recorded no less than one objective involvement in opposition to.
Houston Dynamo – Hector Herrera
Hector Herrera accomplished 101 passes in opposition to Toronto FC on Saturday, his sixth match with no less than 100 accomplished passes in common season MLS play.
He’s tied with Riqui Puig for essentially the most such video games to finish 100+ passes since making his MLS debut in July 2022.
MATCH PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES FC WIN
This would be the first assembly between Los Angeles and Houston since LAFC’s 2-0 win in final season’s Western Convention Closing. That win was their solely clear sheet in opposition to the Dynamo (14 conferences).
Nonetheless, LAFC’s final two regular-season house matches have been a loss to Columbus Crew and a draw with Actual Salt Lake. They’ve gone three such matches with no win solely twice for the reason that begin of the 2019 season however haven’t completed so since 2021.
In the meantime, the Dynamo gained their closing two regular-season street matches earlier than the Leagues Cup break, successful at San Jose and Vancouver Whitecaps. Nonetheless, they haven’t gained three consecutive such video games since a four-match run spanning the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LAFC – 61.8%
Draw – 20.2%
Houston Dynamo – 18%