In their penultimate game of the regular MLS season, Houston Dynamo play host to Colorado Rapids at the Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night.
The Orange Crush head into the weekend unbeaten in each of their last seven home matches across all competitions and will look to maintain this fine run ahead of the playoffs.
Match preview
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Houston Dynamo were left with a bitter taste of "what could have been" on Wednesday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by a resilient CF Montreal side at the Saputo Stadium.
After holding the lead for most of the game thanks to Artur's 10th-minute opener, Houston were left spitting feathers at full time as Lassi Lappalainen struck in the last minute of stoppage time to force a share of the spoils.
Houston Dynamo have now gone three consecutive league matches without a win, picking up two draws and losing once since a 4-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps on September 21.
However, Ben Olsen's men clinched the US Open Cup title on September 28 when they beat Inter Miami 2-1 in the final to secure their second triumph in the tournament and a first since storming to the title in 2018.
The Orange Crush now return home, where they are unbeaten in each of their last seven matches across all competitions, picking up five wins and one draw since a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Minnesota United on July 13.
With just two games to go before the end of the regular season, Houston Dynamo have already booked their spot in the playoffs, having picked up 45 points from 32 matches to sit sixth in the Western Conference table.
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Colorado Rapids, on the other hand, returned to winning ways last weekend as they scraped a 1-0 victory over Austin FC when the sides squared off at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Despite seeing less than 40% of the ball possession and being on the back foot for most of the game, Danish defender Andreas Maxso scored against the run of play in the 41st minute to send Los Verdes home empty handed.
Prior to that, Chris Little's men were on a three-match winless run, suffering successive defeats against Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers respectively before holding out for a 2-2 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps on September 28.
After what has been a turbulent campaign, Colorado Rapids sit rooted to the bottom of the Western Conference standings, having picked up five wins, 11 draws and lost 15 of their 31 league matches to collect just 26 points.
However, next up for the Rapids is an opposing side who have failed to win any of the last nine league meetings between the teams, losing four and claiming five draws since a 4-1 victory in March 2019.
Team News
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Houston Dynamo will take to the pitch without the services of Nigerian forward Ifunayachi Achara, who is yet to feature this year after suffering a severe knee injury last October.
He is joined on the Orange Crush's injury table by 28-year-old Tate Schmitt, who also continues his lengthy spell on the sidelines through an ACL injury.
Colorado Rapids will be without Canadian centre-back Moise Bombito, who is suspended after crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Austin last weekend.
In his absence, Lalas Abubakar, who has started 22 league matches this season, should be recalled into the XI, forming the centre-back partnership with 29-year-old Maxso.
On the injury front, the Rapids will be without several players down the spine of the team as the likes of Aboubacar Keita (muscle), William Yarbrough (meniscus) and Alex Gersbach Tendon (tendon) continue their spells on the sidelines.
Thirty-year-old Jack Price suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon back in March and the former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder remains out of contention for Colorado Rapids.
Houston Dynamo possible starting lineup:
Clark; Dorsey, Bartlow, Hadebe, Steres; Carrasquilla, Caicedo, Artur; Kowalczyk, Aliyu, Quinones
Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:
Ilic; Anderson, Maxso, Abubakar, Gutman; Ronan, Bassett; Harris, Rubio, Nicholson Navarro
We say: Houston Dynamo 2-1 Colorado Rapids
While Colorado Rapids have nothing to play for, Houston Dynamo will be looking to build momentum ahead of the start of post-season action. Despite the result, we are backing Olsen's men to take the positives from Thursday's draw against Montreal and claim all three points this weekend.
How to watch
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Top tip
Joshua Ojele
