Match Preview - Houston Dynamo
Game Info
Kickoff: 7:40pm CT
Watch: Apple TV
Location: Shell Energy Stadium - Houston, TX
All-Time H2H Record
Austin FC has a 9W-1D-5L all-time record against Houston Dynamo.
Austin FC won the first regular season meeting between these two clubs in 2026, a 2-0 win at Q2 Stadium behind a curling strike from Jayden Nelson and a deflected free kick goal by Myrto Uzuni in first half stoppage time.
Of course, when it comes to the rivalry against Houston, Austin FC has won first, last and most. The Dynamo are also the team that Austin FC has beat more than any other opponent in club history.
Houston Dynamo Recent Form
Typically after seeing a team for the first time each regular season we skip the bit on the opponent’s history. But when it comes to the Orange team, I still find it important to dive into their facade of success in MLS. Here’s the blurb from my last Houston article previewing the April 25th game.
When you take the mask off of this franchise Scooby Doo style it reveals the first edition of the San Jose Earthquakes. The Dynamo began MLS play in 2006 after the Quakes left San Jose due to a failure to secure a soccer-specific stadium, moving the defending Supporter’s Shield winners to Texas.
Upon the move to Houston, the loaded roster came along as well, which led to the Dynamo winning back-to-back MLS Cup titles in both 2006 and 2007. As one of the preeminent Houston Dynamo haters I would like readers to note that on top of having a championship roster transplanted to the city, there were also only 12 teams in the league at the time of the Orange team’s two MLS trophies.
Since then, Houston fans have endured a mostly inept operation, though it’s also unfair to leave out the success they have found in the U.S. Open Cup, winning the tournament in both 2018 and 2023.
Glad we could clear that up again. Let’s move onto what to expect on Saturday in H-Town.
Currently sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference, the Dynamo have 23 points thanks to a 7W-2D-6L record. However, Houston has only beat two teams that are above the playoff line in the West. Both wins were rather impressive, as they defeated a (somewhat) rotated LAFC by a 4-1 scoreline. That game was a bit deceptive, as the xG figures show LAFC recorded 1.21 xG to just 0.81 xG for Houston.
Their other victory in that pair of wins was a 1-0 result over the vaunted Vancouver Whitecaps. Again, with more context provided, that victory isn’t as impressive as it looks on paper. Whitecaps keeper Yohei Takaoka, one of the best in the league, received a straight red card after an ill-advised challenge on a free running Mateusz Bogusz. The ejection meant Vancouver had to bring on the inexperienced Isaac Boehmer, who allowed the game winning goal in the sixth minute of second half stoppage time to “Fake Guilherme” Augusto.
Jokes aside, pairing the talented Guilherme with the likes of Jack McGlynn and Bogusz, Houston should be better than their pedestrian offensive metrics suggest. With just 1.3 goals scored per match, Houston has yet to find their groove on that side of the ball.
Under head coach Ben Olsen, Houston has traditionally has prioritized possession and a more methodical build up on the offensive side of the ball. Houston’s 44% average possession this season points to a change in the tactics Olsen is deploying. This year they’ve been playing with much less of the ball, instead trying to utilize the speed of Bogusz, Lawrence Ennali, and Guilherme in an attempt to punish opponents on the counter.
After being dispatched from the US Open Cup on penalty kicks by St. Louis City SC, the Dynamo secured two points via unimpressive draws against the LA Galaxy before the World Cup break and DC United on Wednesday night.
All that to say you can throw most of the recent form and stats out the window in this rivalry matchup, because when these two teams come together anything can happen. Despite Houston’s overall struggles against Austin, they have won four of the six contests against the Verde and Black at Shell Energy Stadium.
Austin FC Recent Form
Austin FC came out of the World Cup with a solid showing against a beleaguered Seattle Sounders side in a miserable heat at Q2 Stadium. Regardless of who suited up for Seattle, three points at home is a step in the right direction as Austin attempts to climb their way up the table and find themselves in a playoff position come Decision Day in November. Having dealt with a myriad of injuries all season long as an Austin fan, we know very well that there is no mercy in this league. You have to find ways to kick teams when they’re down, something Austin accomplished in the sweltering Texas heat on Wednesday night.
The win at home goes a long way for the vibes amongst a fan base that has been starved of victories, particularly at home, amidst a tumultuous and injury-plagued start to the 2026 season, which has already seen the dismissal of both head coach Nico Estevez and sporting director Rodolfo Borrell. The World Cup break also brought us the trade of Austin FC original Dani Pereira to CF Montreal.
If you tuned into Episode 319, you know that I’m still feeling a bit tepid after the victory, as I was not a fan of the lineup selection or the formation that the team went with. Austin fans were stunned to see Owen Wolff on the bench in favor of Besard Sabovic, along with the introduction of a formation never seen from this club before, which featured a five back look defensively with Jon Gallagher and Joseph Rosales acting as inverted wing backs.
In possession, Austin shifted to a three back look with the aforementioned wingbacks pushing into the offensive half and Facundo Torres tucking inside to act as a play maker from the center of the park. While the formation seemed to catch Seattle off guard to start the game, head coach Brian Schmetzer and his staff seemed to quickly adapt to Austin’s approach, though the home team ultimately triumphed on the night with two late goals.
Even after the win, questions surround how this Austin FC team is going to look and play with interim head coach Davy Arnaud guiding the club until the end of the season. Is this a glimpse into the future of the club under head-coach-in-waiting Jim Curtin? Was this a one-off moment to deal with the incredible heat and impact it would have on the players? Did Owen Wolff find himself on the bench to ensure that he will to be 100% ready to go against Houston?
We should have answers to at least two of these questions when we get a lineup come Saturday. My dissatisfaction with the starting group aside, Austin found a way to pull three points off of the Sounders, something they had only done at Q2 Stadium once in club history coming into the night. I think we can all agree we liked that!
Even after the victory, Austin FC hadn’t moved up in the table. Still sitting in 14th place in the Western Conference is a shitty aesthetic, but the distance to the wild card line went from six to five points. Earning another three points against the club’s most hated rival on Saturday will put Austin’s point total on the season to 20, which will inch them ever closer to that magical ninth seed.
Five back, Hector Herrera’s back, clean sheet = clean back. Don’t matter. Austin in 90.
Injury Report
ATX:
Mikkel Desler (Out - Achilles)
Jon Bell (Out - Pubis)
HOU:
Aliyu Ibrahim (Questionable - Lower Body)
Antonio Carlos (Out - Lower Body)
Jimmy Maurer (Out - Back)
Houston Dynamo Players to Watch
Hector Herrera - The 36-year old legend has returned after a short stint with Toluca. While he is a far cry from the prime version of HH (which included time with my favorite Euro club, Atletico Madrid), Herrera is still a savvy, valuable MLS veteran who can impact the game whenever he sets foot on the pitch. Similar to how Austin looks more organized and cohesive with Ilie Sanchez on the pitch, the Orange team is better off when Herrera is pulling the strings on the offensive side of the ball and organizing the defensive unit (though he may not put in much defensive work himself). His physicality and soccer IQ go a long way for this Houston team, and while he may not have the counting stats to support him being a player to watch, he is integral to his club’s chances at hitting their ceiling.
Guilherme - “Fake Guilherme” as he is known to Austin FC fans has had a stellar start to the season. The 31-year old attacker arrived in Houston in January from Santos FC and has been lighting up the net since he arrived in MLS. Totaling 13 goal contributions thus far, Guilherme has been a major reason why Houston finds themselves in seventh place. A crafty attacker with quality in both feet, Guilherme pushes around the pitch aggressively to find goal-scoring opportunities. His eight goals account for nearly half of the team’s total (20) on the year and he leads the team in xG, shots on target per 90, and xGOT, solidifying his potency on the offensive side of the ball.
Austin FC Keys to the Game
Adapt: Things are changing in the 512. New coach, new play style, new formations and new personnel. These changes impact everyone involved, especially the players and their understanding of their roles in any given system. While the two month break was beneficial to adjust to new all of that it still, more than likely, feels new to the guys out there. That means finding ways to impact winning will be an adjustment. Adapting to new expectations can be challenging as well, but this team needed a fresh start and this could be an opportunity to re-invigorate a team that was absolutely miserable leading up to the break. Find was to adapt and you can survive. As always, F*** Houston!
Predictions
ZG- 2-2 Draw
E- 2-0 Austin FC
