Dynamo enter final strech in push for playoffs
(image via Houston Dynamo)
The Houston Dynamo enter the final portion of the 2023 season starting with tomorrow’s home match against the Portland Timbers. We were able to talk to Ben Olsen before Sunday’s game and the mentality for the remainder of the season is one of an elimination tournament mindset, win or go home. “It’s a vital matchup for us. Portland's right below us,” Olsen said. “They want to go where we are. We want to go forward to give ourselves a little bit more cushion and not be right on that line all the time. So, we’ll go after this game and then the second that ends, we’ll evaluate what we have and go after the Real Salt Lake game as if that's the most important game of the season. We’ll just keep doing that until the end of the year. That’s exhausting, but that's where we're at, and that's the final third portion of every season, especially when you're in the situation we're at. We have a U.S. Open Cup game we want to advance in, and every game is crucial if we're going to meet our objective of getting into the postseason.”
Everyone will be prepared, knowing that the team is still fighting to for a playoff berth, something that hasn’t happened for Houston since 2017 and only once in 9 years. It has been rough for Houston Dynamo fans to say the least. The players know that to meet the goal of making the postseason in 2023, every game is a must win, especially at Shell Energy Stadium. Here is a quick overview of what is to come for the Dynamo.
August
Home vs Portland (August 20) - This month is more than halfway in the books, but the Dynamo have 4 games to take care of. It all starts at home on Sunday as the Portland Timbers pay a visit. Points are vital, and the home points are pure oxygen if the club looks to stay alive in playoff contention.
Home vs Real Salt Lake - US Open Cup (August 23) - The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is a tournament that the team has a shot at winning, but playing against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday will be a fierce clash of Western Conference teams. Survive and advance, nothing else matters here.
Away vs Real Salt Lake (August 26) - Only 3 days later, the teams will meet again for valuable league points.
Home vs Columbus Crew (August 30) - The last match of the month will be against Columbus Crew, who will have a new look after Lucas Zelerayan’s departure to Saudi Arabia. Diego Rossi has been brought in to take over the number 10 role and MLS fans know him very well.
September
Away vs LA Galaxy (September 2) – The Galaxy is always a tough team for Houston to face. They currently have so many injuries and problems, even more than the Dynamo. Road games are not easy for the Dynamo, as we have seen for some time.
Home vs St. Louis City SC (September 16) – This will be the newbies first time in Houston. St. Louis have come in and done very well in their first season in MLS. It is likely that the team might be fully healthy with players like their lethal striker Joao Klauss back in the fold.
Home vs Vancouver (September 20) – Anyone remember that 8 goal game in Vancouver earlier this year? That was just nuts. Houston will look to not drop the ball again against the Whitecaps.
Away vs Sporting Kansas City (September 23) – Peter Vermes has his team on a steep incline after a bad start to their season when key players were out with injuries. We will find out which team is hot or not here.
Possible USOC Final (September 27) – Beat RSL on Wednesday, play Cincinnati or Miami. That’s all there is to it. Lose and this date won’t matter.
Home vs FC Dallas (September 30) – Texas Derby. That is all you need to know.
October
Away vs CF Montreal (October 4) - Another trip to Canada awaits for the Dynamo as they’ll look to pick up points to bring back with them through customs.
Home vs Colorado Rapids (October 7) – Colorado hasn’t figured it out yet as they sit in last place of the Western Conference. Houston will hope that Colorado doesn’t steal points at home in the last match at Shell Energy Stadium of the regular season.
Away vs Portland Timbers (October 21) – It all comes full circle. Fans will hope that the team is in a playoff position on Decision Day. Otherwise, we will see y’all back in 2024.
Expectations
Houston Dynamo fans, don’t lose hope. The club has been competitive in every tournament in 2023, but the most important goal set by the front office is to make the playoffs. We have heard that from Ben Olsen, Pat Onstad, and the players, and you can trust that everyone will give everything to make it happen. Houston has six home games, and you would expect them to get points in all of them. That is what teams must do to be successful in Major League Soccer. That should put the Dynamo in a good position in the standings. But there is always a but, what if the team fails again to deliver, what then?
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