Houston Dynamo will be seeking to extend their unbeaten run across all competitions to seven games when they host Seattle Sounders on Sunday at the Shell Energy Stadium.
As for the visitors, they will be looking to consolidate their place at the top of the Western Conference, as they currently sit level on points with St Louis City.
Match preview
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Houston Dynamo extended their unbeaten streak to six games across all competitions with a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the US Open Cup round of 32, thanks to Thorleifur Ulfarsson's first-half strike.
Ben Olsen's men now return to MLS action in which they have fared respectably so far this season, currently sitting seventh in the Western Conference with 14 points from nine games.
The Dynamo could only muster a draw against Real Salt Lake last weekend in a game that Olsen's side dominated, having 61% possession and 16 shots, but Zac MacMath held firm in the opposition goal.
Houston have kept four consecutive clean sheets in their past four outings across all competitions, although they have only managed to score three times during that period.
However, confidence will be high in the Dynamo camp as Olsen's side are one of the few teams remaining in the division that are yet to taste defeat on home soil this season, picking up 13 points from five matches.
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Seattle are right where many usually expect them to be, second in the conference table due to goal difference and just four points behind the New England Revolution in the Supporters' Shield standings.
Prior to last weekend, the Rave Green had often found themselves on the front foot, while their defence have rarely been threatened, as the Sounders had only conceded one first-half goal in 2023, with that one coming in their previous trip to Sporting Kansas City, which they won 4-1.
However, that run was halted last week in a surprising 2-1 defeat to Sporting KC, with Erik Thommy and Alan Pulido giving the visitors a two-goal lead at the interval before Nicolas Lodeiro pulled one back for Brian Schmetzer's side from the penalty spot.
To add further salt into the wounds, the Sounders were comfortably beaten in midweek by Los Angeles Galaxy in the US Open Cup, so Schmetzer will be eager to see his side bounce back on Sunday.
Julian Aude opened the scoring after just three minutes, and Memo Rodriguez's brace secured the victory for the Galaxy, despite Paul Rothrock's response in the 68th minute.
Though they have the second-most goals in the Western Conference thus far (18), the Sounders' offence has dried up slightly in recent matches, scoring a goal or fewer in each of their previous four MLS affairs.
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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.
The Dynamo are yet to concede a goal at home this season across all competitions thanks to Steve Clark, who will retain his place in the starting XI after being named in the MLS Team of Matchday for Matchday 11, between the sticks.
As for the visitors, Joao Paulo will be available after serving a suspension last weekend against Sporting Kansas City, while Cristian Roldan could also return to the squad after missing the Sounders' previous two matches due to concussion protocol.
Jordan Morris looks set to retain his place up front for Seattle as he currently leads the Golden Boot race, along with Cristian Espinoza and Denis Bouanga, with eight goals.
Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:
Clark; Steres, Bartlow, Hadebe, Escobar; Carrasquilla, Artur, Herrera; Franco, Baird, Bassi
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; A. Roldan, Gomez, Ragen, Arreaga; Rusnak, Vargas; Lodeiro, Heber, Chu; Morris
We say: Houston Dynamo 1-0 Seattle Sounders
Despite Seattle's position in the table, they have hit a rough patch in terms of form, so we think Houston will manage to preserve their unbeaten home record for another week.
Goals seem to have dried up for both sides, so we are expecting a low-scoring affair and one goal may be enough to edge it.
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