Three days after a chaotic finish in the Texas Derby, the Houston Dynamo face another state rival, Austin FC, at Q2 Stadium on Tuesday.
The Verde and Black sit two points behind Los Angeles FC for the best record in Major League Soccer, following a 3-0 win versus Atlanta United, while the Dynamo scored in the 11th minute of stoppage time to draw Dallas 2-2 on Saturday.
Match preview
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Austin continue to turn heads with their play, while also setting new records in their sophomore season, becoming the first team to win an MLS match in Atlanta by three goals.
Manager Josh Wolff has downplayed the hype surrounding the Verde and Black, adding that they are a long way from making the playoffs, but it is hard not to be excited if you are a fan of this team given what they have already achieved in 2022.
They are unbeaten in their last five MLS contests, while also on a four-game road winning streak, with three shutouts over that stretch, and a victory on Tuesday would match a club record for the longest unbeaten run (six) and winning streak (four).
If we could point to an area that they struggled in before their encounter in Atlanta, it would be starting matches poorly, as all 10 of their goals scored in their previous six contests before Saturday came in the second half.
After a 100% record on their recent three-game road trip, they return to Q2 Stadium for the first time since late June, having earned points in seven of their eight home fixtures this year.
The lowest-scoring team in the 2021 regular-season (35 goals) have already tallied three more times than they did a year ago, and there are still 15 games to be played.
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A new face in Houston seemed to bring some much-needed energy and enthusiasm to a Dynamo squad, who had been suffering through a slump, losing four of their last five games heading into Saturday.
When Hector Herrera entered into the fray for his long-awaited debut, we saw a team playing more aggressively, with a willingness to go forward and take chances, according to manager Paulo Nagamura.
Saturday was the fifth time in their previous six games that they had conceded the opening goal and the first time since March 19 that they managed to earn a point when facing a second-half deficit.
In the future, Nagamura would like to see his group not have to react as late as they have been recently, equalising versus Dallas in the 11th of 12 stoppage-time minutes, as every one of their goals scored in their previous three matches (four) have come in the second half.
The Dynamo were the only team in the league last year who failed to win away from home, and they have not been much better in 2022, winning twice but losing their six other road fixtures by a combined score of 12-3.
If they want a shot to move back into the Western Conference playoff picture, that form will need to improve as four of their next five matches are away from home, and they sit five points back of a postseason berth.
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Team News
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Ethan Finlay has contributed a goal and an assist for Austin in their last two matches, while Felipe notched his first of the campaign over the weekend and Sebastian Driussi scored his 11th of the season, putting him one behind Valentin Castellanos in the Golden Boot race.
They may have the second-best defence in the Western Conference at the moment, but that backline has not helped out their goalkeeper Brad Stuver at home lately, conceding multiple goals in back-to-back games, while former Houston striker Maximiliano Urruti is looking for his first against his old club.
Daniel Pereira missed their match on Saturday through suspension, Freddy Kleemann (left knee) and Jhojan Valencia (right knee) are still not 100% fit, while Julio Cascante (left hamstring) and Jhohan Romana (concussion) both got some playing time this past weekend after being ruled out in earlier games through injury.
Thorleifur Ulfarsson poked home the opening goal for Houston on Saturday off a mad scramble inside the Dallas penalty area, while Teenage Hadebe rescued a point for them at home, scoring the latest non-penalty goal (90+11) in MLS history.
Fafa Picault has three goals against Austin in his Dynamo career, including one in a 3-2 defeat at Q2 Stadium last year, while Darwin Quintero leads them with seven tallies in 2022, one more than Sebastian Ferreira, with Adam Lundqvist putting up four assists.
Tyler Pasher sat out of the Texas Derby due to health and safety protocols, Darwin Ceren was forced out of that game because of a yellow card suspension and Griffin Dorsey is still struggling to contribute, without a point so far this year, after chipping in with two goals and three assists in 2021.
Austin FC possible starting lineup:
Stuver; Gallagher, Romana, Gabrielsen, Lima; Stroud, Ring; Fagundez, Driussi, Finlay; Urruti
Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:
Clark; Zeca, Parker, Hadebe, Lundqvist; Picault, Vera, Herrera, Rodriguez; Quintero, Ferreira
We say: Austin FC 2-1 Houston Dynamo
Austin have a 100% record at home against the Dynamo, and although that is only in two games, the way Austin are playing at the moment, it is hard to imagine that the presence of Hector Herrera alone will be enough to slow down the Verde and Black, who have scored 19 goals in eight home matches this season.
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