FC Dallas vs. Houston Dynamo – match information and lineup predictions

12th in the West FC Dallas (3-6-2, 11 points) moves south to face the 8th in the West Houston Dynamo (5-5-2, 17 points) in a Texas Derby match.

According to FCD’s Garrett Melcer, “As long as FCD doesn’t lose by more than two goals this Saturday, they will keep El Capitán in Frisco for the third straight season.” I hope he did the math.

via GIPHY

This game is also part of Copa Tejas, the three-way cup that includes Austin FC. Dynamo fell to Broccoli 1-0 in midweek.

Broadcast information

TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Apple TV English: Christian Miles and Jalil Anibaba
Spanish Apple TV: Pablo Ramírez and Jesus Bracamontes

English radio: 11:90 a.m. and the FC Dallas app. Owen Newkirk and Steve Davis on the call. Pre-match at 7 p.m. with Sam Hale.

Spanish radio: FC Dallas app with Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon.

MLS Injury/Player Availability Report

FC Dallas

• OUT: Paul Arriola (calf)
• OUT: Liam Fraser (thigh)
• OUT: Asier Illarramendi (buttocks)
• OUT: Geovane Jésus (knee)
• OUT: Amet Korça (groin)
• OUT: Paxton Pomykal (knee)
• OUT: Alan Velasco (knee)

Houston Dynamo

• OUT: Sebastian Ferreira (lower body)
• OUT: Nelson Quiñónes (knee)
• QUESTIONABLE: Daniel Steres (hip)
• QUESTIONABLE: Franco Escobar (lower body)

Disciplinary report

Suspended
None

Hanging on the next yellow
FC Dallas: None
Houston: Sébastien Kowalczyk

FCD Scheduling Prediction

This one is going to be hard to predict. Watching practice on Wednesday, I don’t think Coach Nico Estevez had decided what to do against Dynamo.

Coach says FCD is all in for the US Open Cup and with a match Wednesday at Tampa Bay Rowdies, we need to keep that in mind. So maybe some slight adjustments?

Firstly, there is the midfield injury crisis. Alan Velasco And Paxton Pomykal are absent in the long term. Asier Illarramendi actually hurt in the last game and is out for another week, give or take. Liam Fraser also left Austin with a problem and is out for a few weeks. Sébastien LLetget is back from injury, but we know coach Nico likes to work guys out and he told me SL won’t start this one. (I expect an appearance on the bench for about 30 minutes.)

Which does Patrickson Delgado a starter by default and he should be able to play back-to-back games. I put in Thomas Pondeca next to him for an attack a little more similar to that of Lletget/Pomykal. Pondeca was injured early in the season, but has been back for a few games now and has looked pretty good starting 3 of his last 5 appearances for North Texas SC. He’s a good two-way player.

Two rotations of light taken in the dark: Eugene Ansah For Tsiki Ntsabeleng at the top and Carl Sainte For Sebas Ibeagha. Both can come off the bench if needed in this one, then start in Tampa.

Update: Given that Tomas Pondeca is the featured player in the teaser for the North Texas SC game, it seems unlikely that he will be with the FCD. So write Tsiki Ntsabeleng instead because he is a two-way player. Or maybe Carl Sainte in a double 6 look with Ibeagha back at CB.

Bench Prediction
Jimmy Maurer
Dante Sealy
Nolan Norris
Bernard Kamungo
Tsiki Ntsabeleng
Sébastien Lletget
Omar Gonzalez
Logan Farrington
Sebas Ibeagha

MLS kit assignments

…And white is back.

Civil servants

ARBITRATOR: Tori Penso
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Kathryn Nesbitt, Meghan Mullen
4TH OFFICIAL: Matthew Thompson
VAR: Carol Anne Chénard, René Parra

More information about the game

• FCD registration: 3-6-2 (11 points, 11th in the West)
• HOU Registration: 5-5-2 (17 points, 8th in the West)
• FCD vs. HOU of all time: 15-13-19 (73 goals scored, 64 goals conceded)
• FCD at HOU absent: 4-10-10 (33 goals scored, 39 goals conceded)

Dallas is 1-5-0 when conceding first and has only gained 3 points after losing positions in MLS.

8 out of 12 FCD goals were scored in the second half.

12 Dallas the players together missed 56 games.

Houston has allowed just 12 goals in as many games this season, which is tied for third-most in MLS.

Dallas has scored six goals in the last four games.

Los Toros are on a five-game unbeaten streak against Dynamo.

Houston leads the Western Conference with 58.4% possession over the entire season.

Kenny Cooper Jr. leads the series for goals scored with seven goals scored in all competitions.

Sam Junqua played 51 games for Dynamo and his “right of first refusal” rights were traded to Dallas in 2023.

Other crossover players include Fafa Picault, Maynor Figueroa, Chris SeitzAnd Je-Vaughn Watson.

At 23 years and 139 days, Jesus Ferreira became the youngest player in MLS history to reach 50 career goals. He is also the all-time leader in local FCD appearances.

Petar Moussa ranks 43rd in MLS in xG (2.77) and highest in FC Dallas.

Maarten Paes ranks tenth overall in MLS in saves made with 32. Paes also ranks No. 22 in balls won (15).

FC Dallas 2024 matches missed due to injury