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Houston Dynamo FC Open Three-Game Road Trip in Vancouver

May 30, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON - Houston Dynamo FC travel to BC Place on Wednesday for the first of three road games across a seven-day stretch. This is the first meeting of the season between the Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the series was split in 2022 with each team winning at home.

WHO:

Houston Dynamo FC at Vancouver Whitecaps FC

WHEN: Wednesday, May 31 - 9:30 p.m. CT

BC Place

STREAM/TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

English: Blake Price and Paul Dolan

Spanish: Adrian Garcia Marquez and Francisco Pinto

French: Gavino De Falco and Hassoun Camera

RADIO: ENGLISH: ESPN 97.5 FM (Glenn Davis and Bobby Boswell)

SPANISH: TUDN Deportes Houston 93.3 FM (Daniel Mejia and Cesar Procel)

The Dynamo closed a two-game homestand with a 2-1 victory over Austin FC. Captain Héctor Herrera scored the equalizer late in the first half. The midfielder also tallied an assist on the game-winning goal. Herrera's corner kick fell to defender Daniel Steres near the six-yard box, and he flicked the ball to Iván Franco for his first goal of the season.

Herrera has now tallied two assists in his last two matches against in-state rivals and scored in the first meeting with Austin FC on March 18, a 2-0 victory at Shell Energy Stadium. Defensively, the midfielder won possession seven times and led the team with nine duels won. The Mexican international was named to the MLSSoccer.com Team of the Matchday for his performance on Saturday, his second league honor of the season.

Defensively, Daniel Steres returned to a central role after nine games as an outside back. The veteran defender led the team with seven clearances and tallied one interception. Goalkeeper Steve Clark finished with two saves and Micael played his first match as a left back, winning possession six times.

Houston and Vancouver split the season series in 2022 with each side winning 2-1 at home. The Whitecaps enter with a slight edge in the all-time series, posting a 9-7-5 record against the Dynamo. Houston has earned points in two of their last four road matches against the Whitecaps, including a 0-0 draw in Utah in 2021 and a 2-2 draw in BC Place during the 2018 regular season.

The Whitecaps look to bounce back after a 3-1 loss on the road to St. Louis CITY SC at CITYPARK on Saturday. Vancouver entered the match with back-to-back victories in league and cup play. Wednesday is the first of four games at home for the Whitecaps across an 11-day stretch.

The Dynamo travel to Missouri later this week to face St. Louis at CITYPARK at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 3.

Here are three key points ahead of Wednesday's game:   

DEPTH SUPPLY GOALS IN KEY MOMENTS: Thor Ulfarsson and Iván Franco have scored three of the eight goals the Dynamo have tallied in May, helping the Dynamo earn four points after conceding the opening goal. On both occasions the attackers came off the bench. Ulfarsson's first goal of the month came against Sporting Kansas City on May 10 in the 1-0 victory that earned a berth in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. The Dynamo will look to more production from the forwards, both in the opening stretch and off the bench, as they navigate this three-game road stretch. About 30 percent of the goals scored this season have been away from home, the last was Ulfarsson's equalizer against FC Dallas on May 20.

BARTLOW BRINGS STABILITY TO BACKLINE: Defender Ethan Bartlow has played a key and consistent role for the Dynamo in the heart of the backline this season. The 23-year-old has helped Houston to one of the best defensive starts in recent history, conceding 12 goals through 13 games, the second lowest number in the Western Conference. Bartlow finished with four clearances and led the team with eight recoveries against Austin as the Dynamo claimed their second victory over their in-state rivals this season and eighth win in all competitions this year.

VANCOUVER NAVIGATE CUP FINAL: The Whitecaps defeated Pacific FC 3-0 on May 24 to advance to the final of the Canadian Championship. Vancouver will host Montreal for the final on June 7 at 9 p.m. CT. This is the second consecutive final for the Whitecaps, who won the competition in 2022 after defeating Toronto FC in a penalty kick shootout at BC Place. The two-time championship winners will look to maximize the next two weeks as they host the final and three MLS opponents in league play. The Whitecaps enter Wednesday's game with a 4-1-2 record at home, with the lone loss coming on opening day against Real Salt Lake.

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