- Houston Dynamo have won four of their last five games, losing once to St Louis City last time out.
- San Jose Earthquakes have lost four of their last five matches, including a 1-5 thumping at home.
- Houston average 2.5 goals per game at home across the last five H2H meetings while San Jose average 1.5.
Houston can outdo San Jose in a lively clash
Houston Dynamo have put themselves into a decent position in MLS 2026, sitting 4th with 38 points from 21 games, five more than San Jose in 8th. The visitors have been woeful of late and this game could be closer than the odds suggest. Houston fell 2-1 away to St. Louis City in their latest game, but they have 4 wins and 1 loss in their last 5 matches and a solitary defeat is no disgrace. The Dynamo's 1-0 win at Vancouver in their previous away game, suggests they're still on track to rack up the results when needed. At Shell Energy Stadium, Houston's MLS 2026 record is seven wins, one draw and two defeats, but they've also conceded just 0.70 goals per-game there. San Jose have won six, drawn one and lost three of their 10 away games in the MLS 2026, conceding 14 times in total.
San Jose have been leaking goals
Bruce Arena, in charge since January 2025, has installed a more possession-based and structured attacking style in San Jose, but they've been conceding too many goals of late. Defeats to St. Louis City and LA Galaxy and a 1-5 loss at home were an absolute shocker.
It's been four games since San Jose last won and their confidence is in the toilet. Houston's high-press game and ability to transition quickly when they win the ball high up the pitch can really punish sloppy build-up play, which the Quakes are guilty of right now.
Quakes can score a goal
Guilherme Augusto is Houston's main man with 12 goals in 20 MLS 2026 games. He's scored three in his last five and is the best player on the pitch on average when he plays. The Quakes have a reliable goalscorer of their own in Preston Judd, who has 11 in 20 games, but they've been struggling for goals of late with the new signing Timo Werner providing the spark for two of their five goals in the last five.
Both teams to score at 1.45 looks too short for what is likely to be a pretty open game at Shell Energy Stadium, but over 2.5 goals at 1.48 is worth a bet given Houston's home record and the fact both sides like to get forward.
Houston look the more likely winner at 1.81 ahead of the visitors at 3.65 and the draw at 4.1, but San Jose are a threat on the road and the H2H record, which has seen both sides win one of the three most recent meetings, suggests a tight and competitive game.
