Houston Dynamo FC once again will look to utilize their homefield advantage to get back on the winning track in a meeting with struggling Inter Miami CF on Saturday.
The Dynamo (3-3-1, 10 points) return home after a 1-1 road tie against the New York Red Bulls last Saturday.
Houston took the lead on the Red Bulls in the 67th minute when midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla corralled a pass from Ivan Franco inside the box following a goal kick from goalkeeper Steve Clark. The Dynamo surrendered the equalizer in the 89th minute.
Through seven matches, Houston has won all three at home but has produced just one point from its four contests on the road. Forward Amine Bassi leads the Dynamo with five goals.
Dynamo coach Ben Olsen called his team “adaptive,” with its tactics changing from game to game and with each opponent.
“Every game is different in how we go about it, depending on the opponent,” Olson said. “There are teams out there who are (static) in their identity. That is not us right now, and I don’t know that it ever will be.
“I don’t believe that every game is the same. I believe in understanding the opponent and I believe in being resilient and adapting to give yourself the best chance to get a result.”
Inter Miami (2-5-0, 6 points) heads to Houston after a 1-0 loss at home to FC Dallas last Saturday. After starting the season with two wins, Inter Miami has been held without a goal in four of their five consecutive losses and have been outscored 8-2 in the losing streak.
“At the start of last season, we went on a similar run and then we did turn it around,” Inter Miami coach Phil Neville said. “We have to turn it around now and we have to turn it around quick. It’s time to get back to winning ways. Togetherness and spirit are the key things that we’ve built here, and that must remain.”
Six players have scored one goal for the Herons.
Inter Miami will be facing Houston on the road for the first time in club history after splitting their previous two games at South Florida. The matchup is the only one scheduled between the sides during the 2023 regular season.
–Field Level Media