Houston Dynamo FC are looking to break a club record winless streak with a win over rivals FC Dallas in the second Texas Derby of the 2021 Major League Soccer season. Houston is on a four-match losing streak and last won on May 22, but a rivalry win would help heal their current wounds.
Meanwhile, FCD can take another step toward surpassing the playoff line with a victory at BBVA Stadium.
The last meeting between the two came on May 8, a 1-1 draw in Frisco. Houston won 2-0 in the team's last meeting at BBVA Stadium in October 2020.
Here's everything you need to know about both teams ahead of a big rivalry clash:
KICKOFF TIME: 7:38 p.m. CT, Saturday, Aug. 21 at BBVA Stadium in Houston
HOW TO WATCH: The Houston broadcast will be in English on QuestTexas KTBU 55 & KHOU 11.4.
The FC Dallas broadcast will be televised on TXA 21 in the Dallas-Fort Worth TV market in English and in Spanish on Estrella TV KMPX-29. Viewers in market also can stream the broadcast at fcdallas.com/stream.
Outside the area, the match will stream on ESPN+.
HOW TO LISTEN: Houston's English radio broadcast is on Spreaker.com with Spanish airing on TUDN Radio Houston 1010AM.
The FC Dallas broadcast can be heard at FCDallas.com/Radio in English and on TUDN Radio Dallas 1270AM in Spanish.
RECORDS: FCD: 5W-9L-6D (21 points, 10th in Western Conference); Houston: 3W-8L-9D (18 points, 12th in Western Conference)
LAST TIME OUT: FCD fell at home for the second time this season, as Raul Ruidiaz came off the bench and scored the game's only goal; The Dynamo let a draw slip from their grasp, losing to Real Salt Lake 2-1 to extend a winless run to 13 matches.
PROJECTED LINEUPS:
FC Dallas (4-2-3-1): Jimmy Maurer; Ema Twumasi, Nkosi Tafari, Matt Hedges, Ryan Hollingshead; Edwin Cerrillo, Bryan Acosta; Jader Obrian, Jesus Ferreira, Szabolcs Schön; Ricardo Pepi
Houston Dynamo (4-3-3): Marko Maric; Zarek Valentin, Tim Parker, Teenage Hadebe, Adam Lundkvist; Adalberto Carrasquilla, Matias Vera, Joe Corona; Fafa Picault, Maxi Urruti, Ariel Lassiter
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
HOU: Adalberto Carrasquilla, midfielder — Houston Dynamo FC's summer signing will be looked at to be the provider in midfield and feed the likes of Maxi Urruti. The former FC Dallas forward has six goals on the year but hasn't scored since June, sidelined in late July and early August. Carrasquilla can help unlock the Argentine's goal-scoring capabilities as well as those of Ariel Lassiter and Fafa Picault, another former FCD player on Houston's roster.
Carrasquilla has gotten a few matches for Houston since arriving. He's been tested at the 8 and 6 spots to see where he fits best on Tab Ramos' system. Now it's time for the Panamanian to start paying dividends if Houston are going to break a 13-match winless streak. - Victor Araiza
FCD: Ricardo Pepi, forward — Pepi leads FCD with eight goals this season, so while it's understandable to be pleased with the teenager's output, it also falls on him to do more.
FCD has been kept off the scoresheet in the last two matches, and Pepi has to step up and be the scorer FCD needs. The thing is that the team knows he can do it. He's the target on attacks, and Jesus Ferreira is looking to re-establish the links he fostered with him during the hot streak when Pepi was on fire. Forwards go through streaks all the time. Saturday would be a fantastic time for Pepi to start another one. - Jon Arnold
KEY MATCHUPS:
Houston: Teenage Hadebe vs. Ricardo Pepi
The DP defender Hadebe has yet to taste victory with Houston since his arrival in July. His signing was announced personally by new owner Ted Segal. Now it's time to live up to the billing. This is a derby and it's taking place in Houston. Dynamo FC need a win badly due to their recent form. Hadebe must shut down Ricardo Pepi and set the tone for a Dynamo dominant performance. - VA
Dallas: Jader Obrian v. Adam Lundqvist
With Paxton Pomykal unlikely to be ready after suffering a knee knock against Sporting Kansas City, FCD needs to get something from its right winger. While Szabolcs Schön has been positive on the left-hand side, there has been an enormous gap in the FCD attack without Pomykal on the right. It's possible Freddy Vargas re-emerges as a starting option after Obrian's flat showing against the Sounders during the week.
Whoever ends up occupying that spot, though, it's critical they're able to combine with Ferreira and Pepi and also to help bring right back Ema Twumasi into the attack when possible. If Lundqvist shuts down the player on the right side, it'll heap more pressure on FCD's other young attackers. - JA
FOR THE WIN:
Dallas: Finish chances
FCD didn't play poorly against the Sounders midweek and they weren't even bad against Sporting Kansas City in the match before that. Both ended up as losses and make Saturday's game that much more important.
What's the biggest difference between those consecutive defeats and the positive run FCD had earlier this month? Scoring goals. FCD had 18 shots against the Sounders and put just two on target. Against SKC, the FCD attack hit the woodwork three times. The chances are being created, and sometimes the attack even is flowing better in games when FCD doesn't score than in matches when they do. Yet, it means little if they can't get the ball over the line. The chances they create must be finished off for FCD to once again be able to exhale, relax and play the game the way it knows how to play. - JA
Houston: Play smarter, not harder
If you read my thought's after the loss to Real Salt Lake, you know where I'm going with this. Dynamo FC need to solve the puzzle of putting in a complete performance but the solution is in fixing the small details.
At home against a crowd wanting to win, a fanbase who has backed the players more than the coach and the front office, the guys on the field have to respond. Play with confidence and motivation but also with intelligence and poise. It's time to get a win but you can't win if you don't have the right attitude. - VA