Houston Dynamo will be looking to record a third-straight victory in all competitions when they welcome Real Salt Lake to Shell Energy Stadium in MLS on Saturday evening.
Dynamo had cup success in their last outing, while Salt Lake played out a goalless draw with Seattle Sounders at America First Field in the league.
Match preview
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Houston extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to four matches with a narrow 1-0 win over Tampa Bay Rowdies last Thursday - a result which secured their passage to the fourth round of the US Open Cup.
Brooklyn Raines scored the only goal of the contest just before half time to down the USL Championship side, setting up a home tie with Sporting Kansas City in the next round.
Ben Olsen's men now return to MLS action in which they have fared respectably so far this season, currently sitting sixth in the Western Conference with 13 points from eight matches.
French winger Amine Bassi has netted five of Dynamo's 10 MLS goals to date, and the 25-year-old will be looking to net his first strikes of the month when Saturday evening comes around.
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Real Salt Lake are enjoying an unbeaten run themselves - although only three games - with the team looking to have moved past their poor form in the early weeks of the campaign.
Having lost just once in their last five matches in all competitions, Salt Lake have found a foothold in MLS while also progressing in the US Open Cup with a 3-1 away win at Las Vegas Lights FC.
Pablo Mastroeni will be looking to improve on consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Western Conference since taking the reins in 2021, with his side currently 10th, one point outside the playoffs.
Jefferson Savarino is continuing his goalscoring form from last term for Salt Lake, with the Venezuelan having netted 10 goals in 28 matches since making the switch from Atletico MG in May 2022.
Team News
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Houston Dynamo will be without left-back Tate Schmitt for the remainder of the season after the 25-year-old suffered a cruciate ligament injury in the defeat at San Jose Earthquakes.
A shorter-term absentee for the Dynamo comes in the form of Ifunanyachi Achara, with the Nigerian expected back in a few weeks from a knee injury.
Real Salt Lake will be without midfielder Pablo Ruiz for the trip to Houston on Saturday - the Argentinian picked up a red card during the goalless draw against Seattle last time out.
Erik Holt managed just eight minutes of MLS football this term before sustaining an Achilles tendon injury - the defender is expected to be back in action next month.
Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:
Clark; Steres, Bartlow, Hadebe, Escobar; Carrasquilla, Artur, Herrera; Franco, Baird, Bassi
Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
MacMath; Oviedo, Glad, Silva, Vera; Gomez, Caldwell, Ojeda, Savarino; Rubin, Musovski
We say: Houston Dynamo 1-0 Real Salt Lake
Houston have hit their stride over the past month and will be confident of beating a Salt Lake side who have lost three of their four away matches so far.
Real Salt Lake have corrected their early-season wobble, but we do not envisage them getting anything out of a trip to Shell Energy Stadium this weekend.
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Top tip
Carter White
