Austin FC has a big opportunity to collect another three points on Saturday as it faces in-state rivals Houston Dynamo FC at BBVA Stadium. Austin has already defeated Houston once this season, beating the Dynamo 3-2 on Aug. 4 at Q2 Stadium.
Tab Ramos’ team has not won a match since May 22 and the Dynamo is currently on a 16-match winless run. Houston sits at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Austin FC Outlook
Austin traveled to Vancouver last Saturday, as the Club went north of the border for the first time. Josh Wolff’s team was seeking revenge after dropping three points at home to the Whitecaps earlier this season.
The Verde & Black played one of its best halves of the season in the first 45 minutes and they were rewarded with a 1-0 lead after Sebastián Driussi scored his second goal with the Club thanks to some nice play from Tomás Pochettino and Cecilio DomĂnguez. Unfortunately that lead would not hold for the rest of the match.
Erik Godoy and Deiber Caicedo both scored in the second half for the home side, as Vancouver again beat ATXFC 2-1.
Driussi has proven to be everything he was billed as so far -- one of the top players in his position in MLS. Over the last four matches the Argentine has two goals and three assists as the ATXFC attack has been jumpstarted since his insertion in the starting XI. He will look to continue this form against a Dynamo defense that has conceded at least two goals in each of its last seven matches.
Houston Dynamo FC OutlookÂ
It’s been a tough year for the Dynamo, as the team will be seeking its first win in almost four months on Saturday at home. The match will be the team’s fourth straight at home, but they have only been able to collect one point in the first three matches of this homestand.
Houston’s last match on Friday night was a loss against the Portland Timbers as Yimmi Chara and Felipe Mora scored first-half goals to lead their team over Houston.
The Dynamo played without a number of international players in that match -- including new signing Adalberto Carrasquilla and longtime stalwart Boniek Garcia -- and it remains to be seen if they will be available for Saturday’s match after playing in World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday.
Probable Houston Lineup
(4-3-3, R-L)
- GK: Marko Maric; Zarek Valentin, Tim Parker, Teenage Hadebe, Adam Lundkvist; Derrick Jones, Matias Vera, Memo Rodriguez; Tyler Pasher, Maxi Urruti, Fafa Picault
