For the first time since 2020, the Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire will meet in an MLS regular season encounter on Saturday at PNC Stadium in Texas.
Houston have lost three consecutive games in all competitions, dropping down into 10th in the Western Conference, while the Fire ended an 11-match winless run thanks to a 1-0 triumph over DC United.
Match preview
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We are over a third of the way through the 2022 season, and one of the more puzzling teams to figure out has been the Houston Dynamo.
There are times when Paulo Nagamura's side look eager and bring lots of intensity, while at other moments, they look discouraged and disinterested.
At the moment, Orange Crush seem to be patiently waiting in limbo for the arrival of Hector Herrera, who will soon be joining them from Atletico Madrid.
Whether he will be the missing link for them remains to be seen, but in the meantime, Houston have a lot of work to do if they are to climb back into a playoff position, two points behind the Seattle Sounders for that final spot heading into this weekend.
Nagamura has preferred a side who are aggressive in the midfield and can maintain possession, and that has been a steep learning curve for these players, who previously operated under a system based almost solely on high pressing under former boss Tab Ramos.
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After weeks of hard luck and narrow defeats, Ezra Hendrickson and his Chicago Fire finally got a well-deserved break in their previous encounter by defeating DC United.
From the get-go of that contest they were the aggressors, firing seven shots on target, while conceding none themselves, with the lone goal coming in the final 12 minutes.
So far in this campaign, 10 of their 14 points have come when collecting a clean sheet, as they have not allowed a shot on target in three MLS affairs this season.
We saw some impressive ball movements throughout their match last week as they are looking more ambitious going forward, and have had some solid link-up play.
Chicago head into this encounter dead last in the table, searching for their first victory away from home since March 12 when they blanked the Black and Red 2-0.
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Team News
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Houston striker Sebastian Ferreira scored his sixth of the campaign in their defeat to Orlando City (2-1), moving ahead of Darwin Quintero for the team lead, with Zeca providing his first assist of the domestic campaign on that play.
Adam Lundqvist has made some nice contributions for Orange Crush in 2022, tallying three assists, two more than a year ago, while goalkeeper Steve Clark returned to the lineup last weekend, replacing Michael Nelson between the sticks, stopping four of the six shots fired his way.
Adalberto Carrasquilla is eligible to return after missing their matchup with the Lions through suspension, as Ethan Bartlow replaced him in the starting 11 and Ferreira played as the lone striker up high, taking the place of Thorleifur Ulfarsson.
DC keeper Rafael Romo misjudged a late Fabian Herbers header leading the Fire to victory last weekend, as Gabriel Slonina collected the shutout.
Kacper Przybylko picked up his first career Chicago assist on that goal, putting him just one back of Xherdan Shaqiri, Brian Gutierrez and Gaston Gimenez for the team lead.
Shaqiri missed their previous encounter with a thigh problem, Kendall Burks has a sore right knee, Miguel Navarro might not be available due to health and safety protocols and Jairo Torres remains questionable with a left hip injury.
Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:
Clark; Lundqvist, Hadebe, Parker, Zeca; Vera, Carrasquilla; Picault, Rodriguez, Baird; Ferreira
Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:
Slonina; Sekulic, Omsberg, Czichos, Bornstein; F. Navarro, Gimenez; Herbers, Gutierrez, Mueller; Przybylko
We say: Houston Dynamo 0-1 Chicago Fire
The Fire are a long way off the playoff picture right now, but they are showing some fight while working collectively hard to improve, and the same cannot always be said about the Dynamo of late.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Joel Lefevre
