Houston Dynamo set a new club record for road wins in a single season last time out, and Ben Olsen is hoping to see more character when they travel to Seattle Sounders.
Their 1-0 victory over Austin FC last weekend was their eighth away victory of the season, and it lifted them to fifth in the Western Conference on 48 points.
Houston are unbeaten in their last five outings in MLS and have won their last four road games on the bounce.
Despite their impressive recent run, Olsen is still pushing his team, with a playoff spot not yet secured.
The road wins situation is great it shows we re growing in character, Olsen said.
To win on the road in this league, you need personality, along with talent and game plans. We always ask the guys for that, and it s good our road form has been good because our home form hasn t been great.
We re not in the playoffs yet, and we have to keep pushing. Hopefully, when or if we get in, we can just keep trying to put points on the board.
There s no place like home.
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC)
Meanwhile, Seattle sit just one point and one place below Houston in the table, and are in good form themselves, having lost just one of their last five matches in the league.
They have are unbeaten in their last three, and head coach Brian Schmetzer is keen to keep their momentum heading into the final four games.
Everything to play for in tight standings, Schmetzer told reporters.
We ve been in a good run of form, but we ve been at a pretty good clip, and we need to finish these four games at the same level. We ll see if the actions in these games match the talk.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Seattle Sounders – Jordan Morris
Jordan Morris scored both Sounders goals in their 2-2 draw with San Jose Earthquakes on September 18.
Morris has nine multi-goal games in his MLS career, tied for the second-most by an American since he made his MLS debut in 2016 (Gyasi Zardes – 14).
Houston Dynamo – Steve Clark
The Dynamo have kept clean sheets in three of their last four away matches, including the last two in a row, after managing just one clean sheet in their previous 21 away matches in all competitions.
Houston have not kept three straight clean sheets on the road in all competitions since 2011-12, a record Steve Clark will be looking to achieve on Saturday.
Fine tuning with our keepers
— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo)
MATCH PREDICTION: SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN
The Sounders are unbeaten in 16 all-time home matches against the Dynamo in all competitions (W13 D3), including winning the last seven meetings in Seattle. Houston have not collected an away point against the Sounders since October 2016.
Indeed, the Sounders have lost only two of 44 all-time home matches against Texas opposition (W32 D10) in all competitions. Seattle have outscored opponents 80-24 over those games.
However, the Dynamo have won four straight away matches in all competitions for the second time in club history. Houston s only longer road winning streak was a six-match run spanning the 2011 and 2012 seasons, including two wins in the 2011 playoffs.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Seattle Sounders – 43.8%
Draw – 26.8%
Houston Dynamo – 29.4%
