HOUSTON, TEXAS — The Texas Derby finale will be underway this Saturday when FC Dallas heads south to play Houston Dynamo FC.
Dallas is on a five-game undefeated streak when it comes to Houston, having beaten them 2-0 in their most recent match up at Toyota Stadium in late April. A red card five minutes into that game and goals from Petar Musa and Sebastien Ibeagha broke Dalass’ early season winless-streak.
Head Coach Nico Estévez said it will be a “new and different game this time around,” given that a red card really changed things last time, considering how early it happened, and based on the availability of players this time around: forward Paul Arriola is unlikely to return to play due to injury, while midfielder Sebastian Lletget does have the potential to see the field after an injury of his own.
Even more recent than that game are two wins for FC Dallas: 2-1 over Austin FC, and before that, 1-0 over Memphis 901 FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
But things have not been going so well for Houston. The Dynamo have played four matches since the beginning of May—only one win, 2-1 over Sporting Kansas City; one draw, 0-0 to Saint Louis CITY SC; and two losses, 1-0 to Austin FC just a few short days ago, and one that went all the way to extra time and penalties to Detroit City FC in the U.S. Open Cup.
Houston returning home this Saturday will conclude a rivalry week of their own, with this year’s Copa Tejas standings not even remotely in favor of Houston who sits in last having already lost once to FC Dallas and twice to Austin FC.
Dallas on the other hand, who currently sits in second place, could join Austin back atop the standings for the time being with a win this Saturday.
And, if FC Dallas wins, they get to keep El Capitán, a replica of a 19th century cannon, at Toyota Stadium for a third-consecutive season.
And for you Derby die-hards, that would mean keeping El Capitán in Frisco for a sixth time in the last seven years, which would be the most dominant stretch in the Texas Derby’s history.
Kickoff at Shell Energy Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.
