This Saturday, St. Louis CITY SC welcomes Houston Dynamo for a top-class emotional encounter at CITYPARK. The match will be the last home game in which the hosts should prove themselves this season, and expectations are so big. On the contrary, the mission of the Dynamo is to get solid among the best in the conference. With so many stories on the line, this could be quite an emotional rollercoaster for the fans.
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St. Louis CITY SC: Finishing with a bang?
City have a decent record against Houston in all competitions: 2-1-2. The last they met at CITYPARK, St Louis continued to put on a show, walking away with a convincing 3-0 victory. Goals from Eduard Löwen, Tomáš Ostrák, and Niko Gioacchini showed the attacking strength of the team. It should be a good morale booster for the team, bidding farewell to their fans.
Even in defeat, there were a few bright spots against LAFC last Wednesday: Jake Girdwood-Reich made his first MLS start, while Löwen reached his 50th appearance. Top of the team rankings with 29 goal contributions this season, he's feeling on top of the world and ready to leave it all out on the pitch for his home send-off.
Another in fine form is the historical maker Cedric Teuchert, who has scored in his first three home outings, the only player in their history to do so. Will he be the first one to pull it off for four games on the trot? This is one of those moments that get the fans talking, and it may light up the spark in the stands.
Houston Dynamo: Ambition and will
Meanwhile, Houston Dynamo comes into this game oozing with confidence. With an 8-6-2 road mark this season, they have set a new club standard for away points collected in a single season. The side has not only clinched a berth in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup playoffs but also looks to firm up their standing within the Western Conference top four.
The victory over New England Revolution was huge and brought the Dynamo to 51 points, matching their total from last season. Coach Ben Olsen must be pleased, though there's still a lot on the line. They're only two points shy of fourth place, and securing a higher seed for the playoffs would be a great accomplishment.
One of the biggest strengths Houston possess is their roster depth. With a squad that has shown strength and cohesion-even in situations that are considered the worst-they enter the field, but will be leaving with all three points. This combination of experience and ambition could be just what finally brings them good fortune.
Head-to-head: What to expect?
This isn't all about points; it is a psychological battle. St. Louis wants a win to restore dignity at the end of the season, while Houston looks to establish itself as one of the league powerhouses. Recent history between the two favors St. Louis, but that will count for nothing once the whistle blows.
CITY SC has the home-field advantage, but that guarantees nothing. The Dynamo has been resilient and will not make life easy. There's pressure on both sides. This result means so much for St. Louis to be confident heading into next season. On the other hand, the Dynamo knows full well how big this is in the fight for a better playoff position.