Houston Dynamo Hosts Struggling Sporting Kansas City in MLS Showdown

HOUSTON, Texas — The Houston Dynamo will face Sporting Kansas City on Saturday at Shell Energy Stadium as they aim to extend their unbeaten streak to five games. The match is set to kick off at 8:30 p.m. CDT.

Following a slow start to the season, leaving them winless in their first six matches, the Dynamo have found their form. They recently defeated the New York Red Bulls 3-0, marking their third win in four games. Head coach Ben Olsen is optimistic, stating, “We’ve gained momentum and confidence going into this match,” as his team sits ninth in the Western Conference.

Sporting Kansas City, on the other hand, struggles at the bottom of the conference with only three wins from 15 matches. The team, now under interim coach Kerry Zavagnin, has not secured a victory in their last four matches. Zavagnin acknowledged the team’s challenges, saying, “We need to improve our defense to compete effectively.”

Sporting Kansas City’s last match saw them draw 3-3 with New England despite a strong offensive output, showing both promise and vulnerability as they concede 27 goals this season—second worst in the conference.

In terms of player availability, the Dynamo will be without three players due to knee injuries, while Sporting Kansas City is expected to have a full squad available for selection. Shapi Suleymanov, a forward for Kansas City, expressed his determination to uplift the team, saying, “I will give my all. Fans will never see me not trying because we play for them.”

As the teams prepare for Saturday, recent fixtures suggest a challenging encounter for Sporting Kansas City, who are looking for their first league win against Houston since September 2023. The Dynamo have not lost in their last three meetings with Kansas City, which includes two victories.

This matchup not only carries significant playoff implications but showcases two teams on divergent paths. Houston hopes to leverage their home advantage to further solidify their playoff positioning, while Kansas City fights to stay relevant in the playoff race.