MATCH PREVIEW: Houston Dynamo FC kick off the Leagues Cup against LIGA MX side Atlas CF,

HOUSTON (July 26, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC The Leagues Cup group stage kicks off against Atlas CF of Liga MX on Saturday, July 27, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium.

Dynamo reached the round of 16 of last year’s inaugural competition, defeating LIGA MX mainstays Club Pachuca and Santos Laguna at Shell Energy Stadium. The 2024 Leagues Cup will determine three qualifiers for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, with the winner of the Concacaf Champions Cup representing the region at the FIFA Club World Cup.

It is worth noting that the Dynamo were the only MLS team to have the opportunity to play for four trophies this year (MLS Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup, US Open Cup and Leagues Cup) thanks to a strong 2023 campaign that saw the team lift the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and advance to the Western Conference Final in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Additionally, Houston has advanced further in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup than any other Western Conference team.

At the MLS break, Houston sits sixth in the Western Conference with a 10-7-7 record (WLD) and 37 points. The Dynamo have lost just once in their last 10 games, while finding the back of the net 22 times in that span.

Houston is coming off a six-point road win, in which they beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 4-3. The result marks the first time the Dynamo have won back-to-back away games in the same season since 2013, after beating the LA Galaxy and DC United in May.

In Vancouver, the Dynamo squandered a 2-0 lead in the first half before coming back to win the game in the 87th minute when the ball fell to Griffin Dorsey after bouncing in the box, and the defender poked home the second goal of the night and the season. The first three goals came from midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla (29th minute), Dorsey again (36th minute) and defender Brad Smith (78th minute).

Forward Ezequiel Ponce, who Dynamo signed for a record transfer fee last month from AEK Athens in Greece, made his debut for the club in Vancouver on Saturday, earning a spot in the starting lineup and playing the first 45 minutes of the game.

Additionally, Houston announced last week the signing of winger Lawrence Ennali from Górnik Zabrze in Poland, marking the biggest U22 Initiative signing in club history for the Dynamo. In three seasons in Europe, Ennali has made 70 professional appearances (40 starts), while scoring eight goals and registering two assists.

The Dynamo continue to boast one of the best defensive records of the season, even with a revamped backline that has seen seven players start due to injuries. The team has conceded 30 goals this season, which is second-worst in the Western Conference. Houston also leads the Western Conference with 58.7 percent possession on the season, allowing the Dynamo to control games and dictate the pace of play.

Dynamo captain Héctor Herrera returns after representing Houston in the 2024 MLS All-Star Game for his second consecutive appearance. The midfielder was one of two players selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber, along with Columbus Crew’s Darlington Nagbe. The MLS All-Stars faced a team of LIGA MX All-Stars — the league where Herrera began his career — on July 24 in Columbus, Ohio.

As for Houston’s opponent on Saturday, this match will mark the first time the Dynamo will face Atlas in an official competition. The LIGA MX team plays in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, where the Dynamo spent part of their preseason training in January. Atlas currently sits sixth in the LIGA MX Apertura 2024 standings after four games this season. Atlas recently won back-to-back titles with the Apertura 2021 and Clausura 2022 trophies, ending a 70-year title drought. Overall, Houston holds an 11-4-3 (WLD) record against LIGA MX teams at Shell Energy Stadium.

The second edition of the Concacaf-sanctioned competition brings together the 18 clubs from Mexico’s top league, LIGA MX, and the 29 Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs representing the United States and Canada. These 47 clubs will compete in a World Cup-style club tournament from July 26 to August 25, 2024.

The qualified teams will compete in the knockout stages, starting with the round of 32 from 7 to 9 August (16 matches), followed by the round of 16 from 12 to 13 August (eight matches). The eight qualified teams will play the quarter-finals of the Leagues Cup on 16 and 17 August (four matches) before the two semi-finals on 20 or 21 August. The 2024 Leagues Cup final and third-place play-off will take place on 25 August.

Houston will close out the group stage on Monday, August 5 when it hosts MLS team Real Salt Lake at Shell Energy Stadium, with kickoff set for 8:00 p.m. CT. Tickets for that match are available HERE.