Houston Dynamo vs. Minnesota United FC Preview: First Match Against The Loons

The Dynamo are playing the hosts for the fourth time this season and are hoping to get their fourth win. The road struggles are looking less like an anomaly and more of a growing concern, but inside the comfy confines of BBVA is where the team has built its electric reputation. And that’s a good thing. Opponents should worry about travelling to Houston to face this crew, and building that reputation early will pay dividends as the season pushes through the summer heat.

Minnesota United FC will be making their first ever appearance here in Houston in the midst of this, their first season. The early troubles of the Loons are well known at this point. Drubbed in three of their first four games to the tune of 16 goals, United is blazing a record pace for goals allowed. They’ve benched one of their top signings in Vadim Demidov. Not exactly how a new team envisions the inaugural season. It’s a brand new team including players and coaches and the only time that they’ve had playing together is the rather short MLS preseason. They’re still tinkering with lineups and most definitely have not yet found the best starting XI, tactics are evolving, and the whole club is still early in the gelling process. And they are actually showing positive indications, enough so that the Dynamo can’t expect to breeze through this matchup. MNUFC has gotten their first win (something a few other clubs have yet to do), snagged a draw, and lowered the goals allowed rate significantly. And they score in bunches as well.

Last weekend in DC was not a good game. In fact, it was the first truly bad game for the 2017 Dynamo. As reflected in our player ratings, pretty much everybody struggled. The defense had an especially rough showing, relying on a lineup with only one 5 game starter in Machado (though Remick was pretty solid on the left). But these things happen. Every team will have bad outings and tough matches. Saturday will show how this group rebounds after a setback. We’re back at home, where our average margin of victory is a healthy +2 and we have yet to concede even a draw. It’s still too early too prognosticate based on those stats, but it does help out from the psychological aspect The players should feel at home in this stadium and in front of our home crowd. There’s a couple of reports coming out that Cabezas and Quioto will be available, but maybe not yet Leonardo. Sounds like AJ Delagarza will remain sidelined so Cabrera may stick with OBG at the right back position.

With MNUFC being so young it’s difficult to say exactly what we will see from them, but there will be a couple of familiar faces who take the pitch again in Houston. Collen Warner and Jermaine Taylor have been starting most games for the Loons and we could see them out there trying to slow our trio up top. That’s a tough challenge considering no one has managed to do it so far in Houston.

Date: April 15, 2017; 7:30 PM CST

Location: BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX

Last Meeting: None