Preview:Houston Dynamo vs San Jose Earthquakes - prediction, team news, lineups

In a match with huge MLS playoff implications, the Houston Dynamo aim to close the post-season gap with the San Jose Earthquakes when the two sides clash on Saturday at Shell Energy Stadium.

Houston are three points behind the Quakes for that final post-season berth following a 1-1 draw at the Vancouver Whitecaps, with the latter losing 2-1 versus San Diego last Sunday.

Match preview

Their winless run is now up to five matches in this competition, though the Dynamo have shown much more resilience in recent weeks.

Orange Crush have points in three successive league fixtures, coming from behind on all three of those occasions, while claiming a positive result in four of their last six affairs.

Ben Olsen’s men have just one win in their previous five domestic games at Shell Energy Stadium, netting a goal or fewer in each of those encounters.

It has been over three years since this team lost an MLS contest at home when netting multiple times, with Houston winning in two of those three instances this year.

All four of their home victories domestically in 2025 occurred when they had drawn first blood, posting a clean sheet in each of those instances.

The Dynamo have won eight consecutive home matches versus the Quakes in this competition, with three of those previous four being by a single goal.

Despite suffering yet another slip-up last week, San Jose continue to hold down a playoff position, though their margin for error is razor-thin.

Bruce Arena’s men have failed to earn a point in three of their previous four league fixtures and are just a point above Real Salt Lake for that final post-season berth.

San Jose have lost their last three league contests away from home, looking poor defensively over that stretch, conceding a combined nine goals.

In their last two away matches played in this competition, the Goonies have scored the opening goal but failed to come away with any points.

While their away form has not been stellar, their four road victories domestically are as many as they accumulated in their previous two MLS campaigns combined.

One of their away triumphs this year took place in Texas back in June, when the Quakes came away with a 4-2 win over Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Frisco.

Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer form:

Houston Dynamo form (all competitions):

San Jose Earthquakes Major League Soccer form:

Team News

Last Sunday, the Dynamo were without Erik Sviatchenko, Gabriel Segal and Franco Escobar, who all had lower-body issues, while Andrew Tarbell and Nelson Quinones were sidelined with knee injuries.

They will also be missing Brooklyn Raines for this clash after he received a pair of cautions in their draw against the Whitecaps a week ago.

Artur scored in second-half stoppage time to rescue a point for them on that occasion, the first for the Brazilian in the 2025 regular season.

In San Jose last week, the Quakes played without Benji Kikanovic once again as the American is still recovering from a lower-body issue.

Arena had the same starting 11 from matchday 26 to 27, with only one new face entering the fray against San Diego, as Ian Harkes came on for Mark-Anthony Kaye in the second half.

Josef Martinez had the only goal for them in that game, with the Venezuelan having scored in each of their previous three league fixtures.

Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:

Bond; Dosey, Carlos, Ortiz, Andrade; McGlynn, Artur, Bassi, Ennali; Ponce, Kowalczyk

San Jose Earthquakes possible starting lineup:

Daniel; Munie, Wilson, Romney; Jones, Kaye, Leroux, Costa; Espinoza, Martinez, Arango