Ben Olsen isn’t viewing the Houston Dynamo’s final regular-season match against St. Louis City SC as a playoff encounter, but he’s urging his players to give their all as the teams compete for better positioning ahead of the playoffs.
The Dynamo are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference with one game left, tied on points with St. Louis, who occupies the fourth spot.
Both teams have secured their places in the MLS Cup Playoffs, but with the San Jose Earthquakes only one point ahead in third, they each have an opportunity to enhance their playoff seeding.
Houston had been performing well until they suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Portland Timbers on Sunday. While Olsen is seeking a strong reaction this weekend, he doesn’t want to overemphasize the importance of the match.
“It’s not a playoff game. When it’s time for the playoffs, that’s when it will feel like one. This is just the last day of the season,” Olsen said to the media.
“We’re going to give it our all – we’ll prepare our squad and aim to do our best.”
When asked about Houston’s shortcomings against Portland, Olsen remarked, “In this league, standings don’t mean much – they never have and probably never will. As long as the current format exists, that will remain true. We didn’t underestimate Portland; they’re a solid team.”
“However, I think we lacked sharpness in key moments. That could be due to many factors like fatigue or quality, and on that day, we were just not at our best.”
We’ve got your location set for tomorrow https://t.co/G1ckTdMfXu
— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) November 6, 2026
On the other hand, St. Louis is struggling as they come into the playoffs, having lost their last four matches, including a recent 1-0 defeat to San Diego FC.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Houston Dynamo – Agustin Bouzat
Bouzat netted the Dynamo’s only goal in their last match against Portland in the 71st minute. Both of his goals this season have happened in the closing stages of games, so he may play a pivotal role again this week.
St. Louis City SC – Rafael Santos
Despite having seven shots on target against San Diego, St. Louis was unable to score. Santos is the team’s most accurate shooter, hitting the target 75% of the time from over 10 shots, but he has converted only 5.3% into goals – he’ll be looking to gain some momentum before the playoffs.
MATCH PREDICTION – HOUSTON DYNAMO WIN
Historically, St. Louis has won three of the last seven encounters with the Dynamo, who have claimed two victories, and two matches ended in draws.
Only two of the previous meetings have seen fewer than two goals, both of which took place at Houston’s Shell Energy Stadium.
Even though St. Louis is on a four-game losing streak in the regular season, they did manage to beat the Columbus Crew in the U.S. Open Cup final during that same period.
Conversely, the Dynamo were unbeaten in five matches prior to their 3-1 loss to Portland, a game that featured three goals in the last 25 minutes – Olsen will be eager for his squad to bounce back.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Houston Dynamo – 39.2%
St. Louis City SC – 34.3%
Draw – 26.5%
Fan Take: This matchup is crucial for fans as it represents the last chance for teams to fine-tune their strategies heading into the playoffs. A strong performance from either side could set the tone for their postseason aspirations, intensifying the excitement for soccer enthusiasts everywhere.
Source: www.soccernews.com
