The Houston Dynamo will not be heading to the postseason for a fifth consecutive season. With four matches remaining, the team is hopeful preparations for a playoffs return next year are now underway.
A scoreless draw against Sporting KC on Saturday, combined with other results around the league, translated into elimination from playoff contention. The reaction of the team throughout that match, playing with ten after a Matias Vera ejection in the 41st minute, was the largest positive.
A New England Revolution squad comes to town with the need to take the three points to stay in the playoff conversation in the East. It won't be an easy game for interim coach Kenny Bundy; his second test will come against a tougher opponent who isn't quite to its record-setting form of last year. But, Bundy will follow up facing one of the best coaches in MLS history, Peter Vermes, with one of the best coaches in U.S. Soccer history (considering his body of work for clubs and country), Bruce Arena.
Here's what awaits this Tuesday night encounter:
Kickoff
7:38 p.m. CT at PNC Stadium in Houston, Texas.
How to watch
The match will be televised in Houston in English on ATT SportsNet Southwest with commentary from longtime play-by-play man Glenn Davis and four-time MLS Cup-winning defender Eddie Robinson. Daniela Rodriguez will provide sideline updates and interviews.
In New England, the match will be televised on WSBK-TV38, myRITV (Rhode Island), & Cozi TV (Western Mass.) with Brad Feldman (Play-by-Play) and Charlie Davies (Analyst).
Everywhere else in the U.S., the match will be available on ESPN+.
How to listen
In Houston, a simulcast of the English language broadcast is available on Spreaker. In Spanish, longtime Dynamo radio man Daniel Mejia will have the call alongside Cesar Procel on TUDN Radio Houston 93.3 FM.
In New England, the English broadcast will air on 98.5 The Sports Hub and a Portuguese broadcast will air on 1260 AM Nossa Radio.
Records
Houston: 8W-16L-6D (30 points, 13th in Western Conference); NE: 9W-10L-11D (38 points, 8th in Eastern Conference)
Last time out
Houston Dynamo drew 1-1 with Sporting Kansas City. New England lost 2-1 at the New York Red Bulls.
Injury report
Houston: Out — Daniel Steres (Right Arm), Matias Vera (suspension); Questionable — Ethan Bartlow (Right Leg), Hector Herrera (Right Leg), Memo Rodriguez (Left Leg)
NE: Out — Jacob Jackson (ACL - Out for Season), Ismael Tajouri-Shradi (Leg); Questionable — Dylan Borrero (Leg)
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Houston Dynamo FC
(4-3-3, right to left): Steve Clark; Zarek Valentin, Tim Parker, Teenage Hadebe, Adam Lundkvist; Adalberto Carrasquilla, Darwin Ceren, Darwin Quintero; Corey Baird, Sebastian Ferreira, Fafa Picault
New England Revolution
(5-4-1) Djordje Petrovic; Brandon Bye, Andrew Farrell, Henry Kessler, Jonathan Bell, DeJuan Jones; Noel Buck, Lucas Maciel Felix, Matt Polster, Tommy McNamara; Gustavo Bou
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Houston Dynamo FC: Darwin Quintero, midfielder
After a few games out of the lineup, Darwin Quintero was back on the field with a few moments of spectacle. He dribbled a bit with the ball, and filtered it into a promising chance, the kind of soccer Houston fans wanted to see this season. He exited the last game after halftime due to the Vera suspension, as the team shifted its approach to ten men, which may give Quintero a chance to play a bit more than expected in a short turnaround.
The Goal Scientist is one of several players that can benefit from the last four games to display the value he can potentially bring to the Houston Dynamo in 2023. Even if he is not brought back, the performances will still serve the veteran to show any interested team in picking him up as a free agent.
New England Revolution: Gustavo Bou, forward
With seven goals to his name, Bou is at his usual spot at the top of the Revolution scoring chart. Anyone that has seen his goals in MLS, or prior in Liga MX, knows the quality of the Argentine who calls himself "The Panther." He was a key piece of New England's Supporters' Shield winning season last year, alongside MLS MVP Carles Gil. He will be the main player to watch on Tuesday, especially if Gil is absent. Since joining the Revs in 2019, Bou has 36 goals across 77 regular season matches. This man is a game changer.
Key matchup: 'La Pantera' Bou vs. Steve Clark
Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark has had some great saves as of late. In the past three matches, he has regained his early season form and shown why he may be the Dynamo's best signing this year if the sole qualification is performance. The Texas club will need Clark to continue providing the type of performance that helped him achieve his 50th MLS shutout against Sporting Kansas City. Bou won't be an easy player to keep from scoring but Clark certainly has the ability to get it done.
FOR THE WIN: Finish your chances
The Dynamo was the better team in the second half against Kansas City. Even with ten men, Houston generated better chances than SKC on the night. Finishing was the problem. Of course, nothing was going to magically change in one game, which further proves that the problem of finishing this year had more to do with player quality instead of coaching. For that reason, the players that do possess the best qualities (Sebastian Ferreira, Darwin Quintero, Fafa Picault, to name a few) have to take advantage of the few opportunities afforded to them during the course of 90 minutes. It's been a challenge all year but maybe an Eastern team on short rest will provide the right chances for the victory.