Houston Dynamo vs Vancouver Whitecaps Match Analysis & Prediction
21/09/2023 3:30 am
The Houston Dynamo will be looking to get back to winning ways in MLS when they welcome the Vancouver Whitecaps to the Shell Energy Stadium on Thursday morning.
The Dynamo were held to a 1-1 draw by St Louis City on Sunday, enabling the Caps to move a point above them for fourth in the Western Conference, with Vancouver coming back to beat Toronto 2-1.
Last Sunday was the first time this season that the Dynamo has failed to claim three points at home in an MLS game when leading in the second half.
Although beating the top team in the Western Conference last weekend would have given the Dynamo a psychological boost, Houston have experienced many more highs than lows to this point of the campaign, when compared to some of their woeful seasons in the recent past.
With 40 points after 28 league matches in 2023, Houston have already equalled or beaten their totals from each of their previous five regular-season campaigns, and with six games remaining, they have a chance to set a new club record for points in a single season, with their best MLS mark being 53 – set in 2012.
More importantly, they are well-positioned to make the postseason for the first time since 2017, currently five points above that line in the West, while they have won more games domestically this year (11) than in any of their previous three campaigns and are on track for their first winning season since 2017.
Ben Olsen’s side are unbeaten in six successive domestic matches, their longest MLS run without a defeat since 2020 (six), while they have claimed maximum points in nine home games, one fewer that what they wound up with in 2019.
In Vancouver, the good times kept rolling on Sunday as the Whitecaps picked up another three points away from home.
With 16 points in their last seven domestic matches, Vancouver are tied with Orlando City as the most in-form side in league play since May 31 and are just a point behind Los Angeles FC for second in the Western Conference.
Their win against Toronto was the fourth for the Caps away from home over this domestic campaign, which is as many as they were able to collect in their previous two regular seasons combined.
Lately, Vanni Sartini’s side have earned their points the hard way, faced with a second-half deficit in back-to-back matches but finding a way to claim a result, with seven points collected in the 2023 regular season when trailing in the final 45 minutes.
They are only 12 points away from equalling their MLS single-season record from 2015 (53), while they are six points above the playoff line at the moment and have scored the second-most goals in their conference (45).
Houston Dynamo vs. Vancouver Whitecaps Head to head
In the 22 previous meetings between these two teams, Houston have claimed seven victories while Vancouver have won 10, and they have drawn in five. Vancouver have scored 34 goals and conceded 27 in the process.
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21/07/2021Vancouver Whitecaps0Houston Dynamo0MLS
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30/09/2021Houston Dynamo0Vancouver Whitecaps0MLS
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13/03/2022Houston Dynamo2Vancouver Whitecaps1MLS
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06/08/2022Vancouver Whitecaps2Houston Dynamo1MLS
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01/06/2023Vancouver Whitecaps6Houston Dynamo2MLS
Houston Dynamo Team News
Houston will be without two key players for this game as Adalberto Carrasquilla and Franco Escobar will both be unavailable due to yellow card accumulation.
Tate Schmitt and Ifunanyachi Achara missed their previous match due to knee injuries.
Houston Dynamo's Last 5 Matches
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24/08/2023Houston Dynamo(E)3Real Salt Lake1US Open Cup
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27/08/2023Real Salt Lake0Houston Dynamo3MLS
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31/08/2023Houston Dynamo2Columbus Crew0MLS
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03/09/2023LA Galaxy0Houston Dynamo0MLS
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17/09/2023Houston Dynamo1St Louis City1MLS
Vancouver Whitecaps Team News
Vancouver were without Sam Adekugbe last time out due to a right patella tendinitis, while Thomas Hasal remains sidelined with patellar tendinopathy.
Luis Martins is still recovering from a left calf strain, while Junior Hoilett was on the bench and is not expected to make his debut until the end of the month.
Vancouver Whitecaps's Last 5 Matches
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21/08/2023Vancouver Whitecaps0SJ Earthquakes1MLS
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27/08/2023Portland Timbers2Vancouver Whitecaps3MLS
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31/08/2023Chicago Fire0Vancouver Whitecaps1MLS
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02/09/2023New York City1Vancouver Whitecaps1MLS
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17/09/2023Toronto1Vancouver Whitecaps2MLS
Houston Dynamo vs. Vancouver Whitecaps: Odds and Predictions
Main Prediction
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