Dynamo prepare to face league’s ‘best team’, LAFC

Fresh off their six-game winning streak, the Houston Dynamo are set to face Western Conference leaders Los Angeles FC, who are themselves in great shape, on Sunday.

The Dynamo (8-7-6, 30 points) lost 3-2 on Wednesday to visiting Real Salt Lake despite an early goal from Ibrahim Aliyu and another equalizer in the second half on an own goal set up by a Hector Herrera shot.

While Salt Lake certainly had the majority of the night’s opportunities, Sebastian Ferreira and Brad Smith both had chances in second-half injury time to steal a point.

While the result is disappointing, it is also the kind of result that coach Ben Olsen believes will make his team want to get back on the pitch.

“We have arguably the best team in the league coming in here, and it’s nice to be able to refocus really quickly for that,” Olsen said. “It’s not going to be hard to step up for them and understand the challenge that’s ahead of us. We’re disappointed with the result … Wednesday in Salt Lake. But we took some shots.”

LAFC (13-4-4, 43 points) beat archrival LA Galaxy 2-1 in front of more than 70,000 fans at the Rose Bowl on Thursday, extending their unbeaten streak to 10 games.

Kei Kamara, who recently passed Landon Donovan to move into sole possession of second place on the MLS career scoring list, scored his third goal of the season for LAFC and 147th of his career, and Denis Bouanga converted his 14th of the season from the penalty spot to double LAFC’s lead before halftime.

The Galaxy had more of the ball throughout the match and had better chances in the second half, but were beaten by their city rivals for the second time this season.

“Possession is one of the stats that the Galaxy has always been good at, and it’s not,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said after the game. “I think we’ve proven over the last couple of years, and other teams around the world have proven, that it’s not the only stat that matters.”

LAFC also has a three-point lead over RSL and two over the Galaxy in the Western Conference standings. But the Black-and-Gold have lost their last two trips to Houston and are winless in their last three away games.

–Field level media