Houston Dynamo News

MATCH PREVIEW: Houston Dynamo FC to host LAFC in Western Conference clash

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HOUSTON (Feb. 27, 2026) – Houston Dynamo FC continue their two-match homestand to start their 2026 MLS regular season campaign on Saturday, Feb. 28, hosting LAFC, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium.

Tickets for all home matches are available HERE, and fans can check out the Club’s Community First Ticket Offers and Value Menu for the 2026 season HERE.

The Dynamo will look to tie the all-time regular season series with LAFC at six wins apiece this weekend. The last meeting between the two sides at Shell Energy Stadium came in April last season, when Houston earned a 1-0 victorybehind U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) midfielder Jack McGlynn’s first Dynamo goal. His performance earned him MLSSoccer.com Team of the Matchday honors.

LAFC’s roster features South Korean National Team captain Son Heung-Min, French World Cup winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and former MLS Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga. Bouanga and Lloris return to Shell Energy Stadium this Saturday, while Son is set to make his first appearance at the venue and against Houston after joining LAFC in August 2025. The forward made an immediate impact last season, recording nine goals and three assists in 10 regular season matches.

Houston enters this weekend with momentum following a 2-1 season-opening home victory over Eastern Conference opponent Chicago Fire FC. Brazilian attacker Guilherme managed a second-half brace in his MLS debut, improving Houston’s all-time MLS home opener record to 11-2-8 (WLD). His stunting performance also earned him MLSSoccer.com Team of the Matchday honors and made him the third player in Dynamo history to score multiple goals in his debut and the first since 2020. The two previous players to achieve that feat were Brian Ching in Houston’s first-ever MLS match versus Colorado on April 2, 2006 (four goals) and Ariel Lassiter versus Minnesota on Sept. 2, 2020 (two goals).

The match also featured several Dynamo debuts, including attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, midfielder, AgustínBouzat, defender Lucas Halter, fullback Franco Negri and forward Nick Markanich. Notably, Houston revamped their roster with significant signings over this offseason, highlighted by two Designated Players in Bogusz and Guilherme, as well as the return of Mexican legend Héctor Herrera. Additionally, Houston Dynamo 2 defender Agustin Resch was named to the bench after signing a short-term loan for the match.

LAFC opened the season with a 3-0 victory over reigning MLS Cup Champions Inter Miami CF in front of 75,673 fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Goals from David Martínez in the 38th minute, Denis Bouanga in the 73rd and Nathan Ordaz in second half stoppage time secured the team’s ninth consecutive win in a regular season.

Los Angeles also played midweek in Concacaf Champions Cup action, defeating Real España 1-0 at BMO Stadium in the second match of their two-leg, Round One series to win 7-1 on aggregate. Defender Nkosi Tafari scored the game’s only goal in the 64th minute, his first for the Black & Gold since joining the club in January 2025. LAFC now moves on to face L.D. Alajuelense of Costa Rica in the next stage of the regional tournament.

Houston has a former LAFC player on their roster in Bogusz, who was signed by the Dynamo ahead of this season. The Polish international attacker spent two seasons in Los Angeles, including a breakout year in 2024, netting a career-high 20 goals in all competitions and playing a key role clinching the team’s first-ever U.S. Open Cup title.

Last week, the Dynamo announced the signing of Dynamo Academy product and Houston native Matthew Arana to a first team contract as a Homegrown Player. At just 15 years, five months and 24 days of age, the midfielder became the youngest first team signing in Club history and the 20th Dynamo Academy product to sign a Homegrown first team contract. Additionally, Arana is the eighth Academy player to be signed by President of Soccer Pat Onstad since he took charge of soccer operations in February 2022. Arana was one of seven Academy players called up by head coach Ben Olsen to join the Dynamo for preseason action this year, including helping the team win the inaugural Torneo de Tejas title.

Houston next travels to face the New England Revolution on Saturday, March 7, or their first road trip of the year, with kickoff scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the match live via Apple TV.