Houston Dynamo and LA Galaxy Prepare for Crucial Match Ahead of MLS World Cup Break
The Houston Dynamo and LA Galaxy will attempt to maintain their recent good form when they square off on Saturday in Carson, California. Both teams aim to carry their momentum into this meeting, which comes just before a lengthy break for the MLS due to the World Cup.
This match marks the final game for both teams before the two-month hiatus. Currently, the Dynamo (7-6-0, 21 points) sit in sixth place, two points ahead of the Galaxy (5-5-4, 19 points) in the Western Conference standings.
Houston makes the trip to Southern California following a loss in a penalty shootout against St. Louis City on Wednesday, which eliminated them from the U.S. Open Cup.
“It was a little disappointing at the end, especially losing in PKs after what was a good performance,” Houston coach Ben Olsen remarked. “The guys played really hard — they were up for it after a quick turnaround.”
The Dynamo have secured victories in three of their last four league matches, with their most recent triumph being a 1-0 win at home over Vancouver on May 16, thanks to Guilherme Santos’ goal in the dying moments of the game.
“We’ve got to patch them up,” Olsen stated regarding his team’s fitness. “We’ve had a good little run here. We are starting to understand that this is the way we are playing and what makes us a good team, and that’s a positive.”
Santos, a designated player signed in the offseason, leads Houston with seven goals, matching the combined total of the next three goal scorers on the team, along with five assists.
The Galaxy return home after completing a three-match road trip, which saw them achieve a 2-0 victory at Seattle on May 16, ending a 10-game road losing streak against the Sounders. Gabriel Pec contributed a goal and an assist, while Matheus Nascimento added the second goal late in the match, and JT Marcinkowski recorded five saves to claim his first clean sheet in ten regular-season starts.
Los Angeles has posted a record of 3-1-1 in their last five MLS matches.
“We have the confidence in this locker room that, no matter who we’re playing or where we’re playing, that we’re going to go out there and fight for three points,” commented Galaxy coach Greg Vanney. “Our mentality is a starting point for us. The intensity, making sure that we’re in every single game. We’re competing with each other and for each other, and just doing all the little details, is the most important.”
The all-time series between the Galaxy and Dynamo sees Los Angeles with a slight edge at 17 wins to 15, with 13 matches ending in draws, including both encounters in 2025.