MATCH PREVIEW: Houston Dynamo FC travels to the nation’s capital to take on DC United

HOUSTON (June 21, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC travel east to the nation’s capital to take on DC United on Saturday, June 22, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. Saturday it will be the head coach Ben Olsen first MLS game in the nation’s capital since leaving the club in 2020.

Olsen spent more than two decades with DC United as a player (1998-2009) and head coach (2010-20). As a player, the Pennsylvania native made 221 appearances in MLS and scored 29 goals, while helping DC win the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the 1999 and 2004 MLS Cups, and the 2008 US Open Cup. As a head coach in Washington, D.C., Olsen won 113 games in MLS, while helping United to the playoffs six times and winning the 2013 US Open Cup. He was also named 2014 Coach of the Year in the MLS.

Houston enters Saturday’s game eighth in the Western Conference with a 6-6-6 record (WLD) and 24 points.

Dynamo is coming off a 2-2 home draw against Seattle Sounders FC in a match that included two goals from midfielder Latif Blessing, starting in place of midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, who joined the Panama for the Copa America this week.

Blessing scored in the 30th and 39th minutes (assisted by strikers Amine Bassi and Aliyu Ibrahim respectively) to take his goal tally to five in the last five matches. The Ghanaian’s current career high came in 2019 when he scored six goals with LAFC, and Wednesday also marked the midfielder’s first game scoring two goals since August of that season. As a team, Dynamo have now scored nine goals in the last four matches.

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 only allowed 22 goals this season, which is the second-fewest total in the Western Conference. Additionally, Houston leads the Western Conference with 57.5% possession throughout the season, allowing the Dynamo to control games and dictate the pace of the game.

DC United enters Saturday’s game 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 4-8-7 record (WLD) and 19 points. DC has not won a match in its last seven matches dating back to May 11 and is coming off a 1-0 home loss to Atlanta United FC after a Jay Fortune goal in the 79th minute.

Houston will look to improve on its dominant 15-7-5 (WLD) record against DC, in which Dynamo outscored United 45 goals to 28 goals. Saturday will mark the first meeting of the two clubs since May 2022, and Dynamo will seek their sixth road victory against DC

Houston will next host Charlotte FC on Saturday, June 29 with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium. The club will be celebrating Pride Night throughout the day, and tickets for the match are available HERE.