MATCH PREVIEW: Houston Dynamo FC hosts Charlotte FC to conclude June

HOUSTON (June 28, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC will host Charlotte FC on Saturday, June 29, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy StadiumThe club will be celebrating Pride Night throughout the day, and tickets for the match are available HERE.

Houston will next travel to Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, July 3, with kickoff set for 8:30 p.m. CT at America First Field. The Dynamo will also host Real Salt Lake later this summer in the Leagues Cup group stage on August 5.

Houston enters Saturday’s game in seventh place in the Western Conference with a record of 7-6-6 (WLD) and 27 points. Dynamo are undefeated in their last five matches, while finding the back of the net 13 times.

The Dynamo are coming off a 4-1 away win over D.C. United thanks to forward Sebatian Ferreira’s first hat-trick for Houston and a goal from forward Gabe Segal. Defender Brad Smith also recorded two assists as a substitute, a new career high for the MLS veteran.

Saturday also marked head coach Ben Olsen’s first MLS game in the nation’s capital since leaving the club in 2020. Olsen spent more than two decades with D.C. United as a player and head coach.

Ferreira’s performance in D.C. earned him a spot on MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Day, while his three-goal performance marked the first for the Dynamo since Erick Torres in 2017 and the first time away from home by a Dynamo player. The 26-year-old Paraguayan scored in the 51st, 54th and 86th minutes.

The Dynamo continue to boast one of the best defensive records so far this season, despite a revamped backline that has seen seven players start due to injuries. The team has allowed just 23 goals this season, which is tied for the fewest in the Western Conference and third-most in MLS. Additionally, Houston leads the Western Conference with 57.5% possession throughout the season, allowing the Dynamo to control games and dictate the pace of play.

Charlotte enters Saturday’s game in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-6-5 record (WLD) and 32 points. Charlotte is coming off a 2-0 win at Philadelphia behind two second-half goals from Patrick Agyemang.

Saturday will mark only the second MLS match between the two clubs and the first since Charlotte moved to Houston in their inaugural season in 2022. That match ended 2-1 against the visitors, so the Dynamo are looking to tie the match with one victory each. .

Houston will next travel to Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, July 3 with kickoff set for 8:30 p.m. CT at America First Field. The Dynamo will also host Real Salt Lake later this summer in the Leagues Cup group stage on August 5.