St. Louis City Sc vs Houston Dynamo Picks and Predictions October 5th 2024

Dynamo chasing home-field advantage in clash vs. St. Louis City

The Houston Dynamo are closing in on a top-four finish in the Western Conference, with a crucial game on Saturday against St. Louis City SC standing in the way. With two matches remaining, the Dynamo are fighting for home-field advantage in the first round of the MLS playoffs, and every point matters as they look to secure a higher seed.

Expert Soccer Picks

Houston Dynamo’s Playoff Push

Houston (14-9-9, 51 points) sits fifth in the Western Conference standings, just two points behind both the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake. Securing a top-four position would guarantee home-field advantage in the best-of-three series format for Round 1 of the playoffs—an invaluable edge.

With two wins in their last three matches and four victories in their last seven, the Dynamo are in solid form. Their latest win, a 2-1 triumph over the New England Revolution on Wednesday, underscored their determination. Defender Erik Sviatchenko scored a stunning volley from a perfectly placed free kick by Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla, securing the decisive goal.

“It was the best goal I’ve scored in my career,” Sviatchenko said. “It just set up perfectly for a volley, and I went for it.”

Coach Ben Olsen’s Leadership

Coach Ben Olsen, in his second season with the Dynamo, has guided the team into playoff contention once again. Reflecting on the match against New England, Olsen acknowledged that the game was a tough battle, especially with New England fighting to stay in playoff contention.

“New England entered with desperation, and we were lucky to keep it scoreless in the first half,” Olsen said. “But the win is massive as we try to move up the table. Now we have to patch ourselves up for another tough task in St. Louis.”

Olsen’s leadership has been crucial for Houston, with his focus now on continuing their momentum as they head into the final stretch of the regular season.

St. Louis City’s Struggles After a Stellar Debut Season

On the other side, St. Louis City SC (7-12-13, 34 points) has already been eliminated from playoff contention, a stark contrast to their first-place finish in the Western Conference during their 2023 debut season. Despite a challenging year, interim coach John Hackworth has stabilized the team since taking over, with St. Louis going 3-1-1 in September. However, they fell 1-0 to Los Angeles FC on Wednesday, their first shutout loss since mid-July.

“Look, I want to make sure everybody knows that I don’t think we played a great game,” Hackworth said after the loss to LAFC. “But we came on short rest and played one of the best teams in the league, and we still had a chance to be successful until the very end.”

St. Louis might be out of the playoff race, but they’re motivated to finish the season on a high note, with Hackworth emphasizing improvement and competitiveness.

Key Players to Watch

• Houston Dynamo: Ibrahim Aliyu leads the Dynamo with six goals this season, while Erik Sviatchenko’s leadership in defense has been instrumental in Houston’s recent form. Adalberto Carrasquilla’s playmaking ability remains crucial, especially with his pivotal assist in their last match.
• St. Louis City SC: Cedric Teuchert has emerged as a key offensive threat for St. Louis, with five goals in just eight regular-season appearances. Teuchert is tied with Eduard Lowen and Joao Klauss for the team’s scoring lead, but Klauss has not found the back of the net since May, a factor contributing to the team’s offensive struggles.

Past Encounters and Tactical Preview

The Dynamo and St. Louis met earlier this season on May 4, playing to a 0-0 draw in Houston. Both teams exhibited strong defensive efforts, and with Houston’s sights set on home-field advantage, they’ll be looking to break through St. Louis’ defense this time around.

Houston will likely continue leaning on its solid defensive core, with Sviatchenko anchoring the backline and goalkeeper Steve Clark providing reliability in goal. Clark had a three-save performance against New England and will need to be sharp again. Houston’s strategy may revolve around pressing St. Louis early to capitalize on their opponent’s lack of playoff motivation.

St. Louis, however, is no pushover, especially with the likes of Teuchert in form. Even though the team won’t be in the postseason, they’ve shown resilience under Hackworth. Expect them to play with freedom, perhaps taking advantage of any defensive lapses from Houston.

Why This Match Matters for Houston

For Houston, this game is about more than just three points—it’s about maximizing their playoff potential. A top-four finish could be the difference between playing a decisive playoff game at home versus on the road, where teams often face more significant challenges. The Dynamo are motivated to control their destiny and continue their upward trajectory.

Conclusion

The upcoming clash between Houston Dynamo and St. Louis City SC is a critical one for Houston as they chase a top-four finish in the Western Conference. With playoff seeding at stake, every point matters for the Dynamo, and they’ll need to continue their recent run of good form. St. Louis may not be playoff-bound, but they’ll be eager to finish their season strong, potentially spoiling Houston’s plans.

With Houston’s focus on home-field advantage and St. Louis determined to end on a positive note, this match promises to be a hard-fought contest.

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