On Saturday, D.C. United will play the second leg of their two-game road trip in Houston, Texas at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Black-and-Red will be facing the Houston Dynamo, a Western Conference opponent having a decent start to the season. Here is everything you need to know about D.C. United’s latest opposition.
Recent Matches
The Houston Dynamo are currently sitting in the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference, with 20 points collected in ten games. The Dynamo are 6-2-2 on the year and they are unbeaten at home.
In their last five matches, Houston has gone 2-2-1. Their most recent match was a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers on Wednesday night. Houston got the first half goal to give them a 1-0 lead at home, but a late goal from Brian Fernandez secured road points for the visitors. Both teams played midweek matches, meaning rotating the line-up will be key to their success on Saturday. Unfortunately, Houston has the benefit of playing at home and not having to deal with the travel.
Players to Watch
The Dynamo’s top goal-scorers are Mauro Manotas (six goals and four assists), Alberth Elis (four goals and six assists), and Memo Rodriguez (four goals and two assists). Their offense has been hot, scoring in all but one match this year and totaling sixteen goals on the season. However, Elis and Manotas played full matches on Wednesday night, while Rodriguez was subbed off in the 82nd minute. Rotation in the Dynamo lineup may have their top scorers sitting on the bench.
The defense has struggled more in Houston this season. They have earned just one shutout compared to D.C. United’s seven and have allowed an average of 1.1 goals per game. The man between the posts will be a familiar face for D.C. United fans: Joe Willis, who served as Bill Hamid’s backup from 2011 to 2014. He has been with the Houston Dynamo since 2015, and won’t want to sacrifice any goals to his former club.
Head-to-Head
The last time these two teams met was March 2018. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, with a late goal from Luciano Acosta securing the draw for the Black-and-Red. D.C. United has not earned a victory over the Houston Dynamo since 2014.
