Houston Dynamo vs. FC Dallas Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 8/21/21
Houston vs. Dallas 8-19
In the battle for the Lone Star State, the Houston Dynamo plays host to FC Dallas in a matchup of clubs not in top form, to say the least.
Dallas has lost their last two matches where their offense failed to show up. They only have one win in their last four matches and the club sits in 10th place in the Western Conference three points clear of Houston.
To say Houston is not in form would be a major understatement, as they have not bagged a win in their last 13 matches. They are two points out of the basement in the West and they are tied with giving up the second-most goals in the conference.
These teams played to a 1-1 draw early in the season in Dallas.
It Sure Helps to Score
Dallas has lost their last two matches and not surprising since they failed to score in either of them. In their last match, they played a pretty solid defensive match but lost at home 1-0 to the Seattle Sounders, who have the most points in the West. They gave up the lone goal in the 63rd minute and while they won the time of possession (65% to 35%), had twice as more shots (18-9), and twice as many shots on targets (2-1) they still took the loss. While Dallas has lost their last two matches, they came against the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Ricardo Pepi leads Dallas on the season with eight goals but has not scored in his last few matches. Jáder Rafael Obrian and Franco Jara rank second with three goals apiece and Ryan Hollingshead and Szabolcs Schon have the team lead with four assists each. Dallas’ last three matches have been at home and they have one win and one loss in their last two road matches. G Kyle Zobeck is out for the Houston match and the DF duo of John Nelson and José Antonio Martínez are also out with injuries.
Close But No Cigar
Houston came close to at least playing to a draw in their last match but gave up the game-winning goal in the 88th minute in the 2-1 road loss to Real Salt Lake. Fabrice Picault scored the lone goal for Dynamo early in the second half to tie the match where the time of possession was pretty even and while they had more shots (14-10) they had fewer shots on target (4-1). In their last 10 matches Houston has scored more than one goal only once.
Maximiliano Urruti leads Dynamo with six goals on the season but he has not scored in several matches. Picoult has five goals and is tied with Tyler Pasher for the team lead in assists with two. Pasher is listed as questionable with a lower-body injury
Side: Draw +210
Both clubs are far from top form, especially Houston, as they are winless in their last 13 matches. Dallas has lost their last two matches where they have failed to score a goal in either of them. Dallas has played to a draw and has a win in their last two road matches with their last three matches on their home pitch. I look for a defensive battle in this game and for each team to lack scoring chances. In the beginning of the season in the Big D these teams played to a 1-1 draw and that is the outcome I see for this match. Houston will not snap their long winless streak but they will, at least, secure a draw at home.
Total: Under 2.5 goals
I am going with the Under in this match and with good reason. Both teams have had issues on the attack all season and Dallas has failed to score a goal in their last two matches. These teams combined for only three shots on targets in their last matches and do not look for many scoring in this Western Conference encounter. Dallas’ last two matches have gone Under and like those and the first meeting between these teams this season this match will go Under as well.
