A 0-0 draw at Charlotte four days ago left Houston Dynamo with back-to-back goalless results, and Ben Olsen’s side will be eager to rediscover their cutting edge when Real Salt Lake come to Shell Energy Stadium on Wednesday. Houston sit second in the Western Conference on 40 points, three behind Vancouver Whitecaps but with a growing pack below breathing down their necks. Real Salt Lake arrive in poor form, having picked up just one point from their last four MLS outings, including a 2-2 draw at home to Los Angeles FC three days ago. A win for the Dynamo would help stabilize second place; a win for Salt Lake would reignite their push into the postseason picture.
What’s at stake
Houston are second in the Western Conference on 40 points from 23 games, with Vancouver Whitecaps three points clear at the top. More pressing for Olsen’s side is the logjam immediately behind them: Los Angeles FC, FC Dallas, and St. Louis City are all on 37 points, with San Jose Earthquakes a further two back on 35. The gap between Houston and fifth place is just three points, meaning a slip here could see the Dynamo fall out of the top two before the week is out. The top nine in the Western Conference qualify for the MLS playoffs, but position matters: the top seven earn direct berths to the round of 16, while eighth and ninth must go through the round of 32.
For Real Salt Lake, the arithmetic is straightforward but uncomfortable. They are tenth on 29 points from 22 games, one point behind San Diego in ninth and two behind Portland Timbers in eighth. With Minnesota United and Los Angeles Galaxy level on 29 points, Pablo Mastroeni’s side cannot afford many more results like their recent run of three defeats in four MLS matches. A victory in Houston would pull them to within two points of eighth place and keep their postseason hopes firmly alive. For Houston, dropping points at home to a side in this sort of form would be a significant setback in the race to hold off the chasing group below them.
How they got here
Houston’s last five MLS results read W-W-L-D-D (most recent last), and the pattern tells its own story: two wins over Los Angeles Galaxy and Vancouver Whitecaps in mid-August gave them genuine momentum, but a 2-1 defeat at St. Louis City and two consecutive 0-0 draws since have cooled that run. They have scored just once in their last three matches across all competitions, which is the concern Olsen will want addressed against an opponent that has shipped 35 goals in 22 games this season. Real Salt Lake’s recent stretch is worse: their last five results include four defeats, with the 3-0 loss to Leon in the Leagues Cup sandwiched between MLS losses at Orlando City and Colorado Rapids. The draw against LAFC at home was their first point in five attempts.
Houston are second in the Western Conference, three points off the lead. Real Salt Lake are tenth, one point outside the playoff positions with a game in hand on several sides around them. That game in hand, if they can convert it into points, is a meaningful lever, but form makes it hard to be optimistic about their chances of doing so on the road.
Key battle to watch
Houston’s midfield pair of Hector Herrera and Dawid Szekulski will be central to how the Dynamo try to control the tempo and break down a Salt Lake side that, despite its poor form, has scored 36 goals in 22 games, the joint-highest tally among Western Conference sides outside the top three. Real Salt Lake’s attack has not dried up, it is the defending that has been the problem. If the Dynamo’s midfield can win second balls and limit the transitions that have left other teams exposed, Olsen’s forwards should find space. For Salt Lake, getting Diego Luna and Andres Riquelme operating in tight areas behind Houston’s defensive line will be the key to unlocking a home back four that has let in 26 goals this season.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
Houston’s home record and Real Salt Lake’s recent defensive frailty point toward a Dynamo win, but the 0-0 draws against Charlotte and San Jose suggest Olsen’s side is currently struggling to create and convert. Expect Houston to have enough control to grind out three points, though a high-scoring affair seems unlikely given both teams’ recent defensive records at this stage of the season. Salt Lake have the attacking output to threaten, and if Houston’s midfield is not sharp, this could end up closer than the standings suggest.