FC Cincinnati, currently in the ninth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, can ill afford more missteps with time winding down in the season.
Their next task won’t be an easy one Saturday night against the host Houston Dynamo.
Cincinnati (8-8-8, 32 points) had been outscored 9-0 across two matches before rallying last Saturday for a 3-3 tie with visiting Charlotte.
“I think it’s just the consistency of our play, and more specifically defensively, that’s limited us from winning more games,” Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said. “And so, on the road, when we approach away games, it’s not a huge shift in mentality and approach. We try to be consistent in how we want to play and how we want the game to look.”
Houston (13-8-4, 43 points) would move into a tie atop the Western Conference with a victory and a loss by first-place Vancouver. The Dynamo took a dip with last week’s 1-0 loss at San Jose.
“It’s about responding now,” Houston coach Ben Olsen said.
The Dynamo are encouraged by forward Duncan McGuire, who joined the team in July, after his efforts last week, but he’s still without a point for the club.
“His best game for us,” Olsen said, referring to the match in San Jose. “That’s to be expected as he gets back in the rhythm here. He has had a choppy few years. He’s getting the minutes he’s deserving right now.”
Houston needs a boost on offense as it has been blanked in three of its last four matches, though two of those shutouts resulted in draws.
Dynamo defender Agustin Resch has passed 1,600 minutes played and could be heading toward one of the top totals for MLS rookie minutes.
Cincinnati will welcome midfielders Evander and Obinna Nwobodo back to the lineup after they sat out last week because of suspensions stemming from a yellow-card accumulation and a red card, respectively.
“We like life with Evander, and it’s nice to have him back,” Noonan said of the 13-goal scorer.
The Dynamo are 6-0-2 in their last eight MLS home matches.
Cincinnati is 2-0-1 all-time against Houston, winning the most recent matchup in 2023.
–Field Level Media
