The Houston Dynamo are hitting the road to kick off their best-of-three first round series in the MLS playoffs, facing the San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday, November 24. This is it, folks, winner-take-all potential right from the jump, and Game 1 is going to be intense.
The Playoff Gauntlet Begins
Game 1 is set for a 9 p.m. CT kickoff, with San Jose hosting the Dynamo, and you can catch all the action on Apple TV or FS1. After that, the series shifts back to Shell Energy Stadium in Houston for Game 2 on Saturday, November 28, at 1:30 p.m. If things get wild, and let’s be honest, they usually do in the playoffs, a winner-take-all Game 3 would head back to San Jose on Wednesday, December 2. All three matches are gonna be live on Apple TV, so get ready to clear your schedule.
“A Clean Slate, Man” Says Olsen, But Can They Flip the Switch?
The Dynamo are heading into these playoffs as the fifth seed in the Western Conference, barely trailing the Earthquakes who snatched fourth. And let’s be real, their regular season finale didn’t exactly inspire confidence, dropping a 1-0 game to St. Louis City SC. The stats from the back half of the season are tough: only two wins and seven ties over their final 14 matches. That’s a rough stretch, no doubt about it. But coach Ben Olsen is staying positive, telling everyone after that St. Louis loss that the team actually “looked as good as they’ve been in a while.” He’s not wrong about one thing, though: “We’ve been a tough team to beat, I think by and large, but the wins have not come easy over this last stretch,” Olsen admitted. “But I don’t care. It’s a clean slate, man. We’re gonna start anew.” Captain Artur echoed that vibe, saying, “We have a good rhythm now. Playoffs is different, and we’re gonna be ready for that.” You gotta respect the confidence, especially after the way the regular season ended.
This marks the third time in four years Olsen has guided the Dynamo into the playoffs. They had a solid run to the semifinals in 2023, but then bowed out in the first round last year in 2024. So, the experience is there, the drive is there, but will that “clean slate” translate into actual wins? This best-of-three format means there’s no room for error, and that first game in San Jose is everything.
You do not want to miss a second of this series. Game 1 on November 24 is gonna set the tone, and every single play is going to matter. Can the Dynamo shake off their late-season slump and make a deep run, or will the Earthquakes shut down their “clean slate” dreams? We’re about to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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