Just five days on from the stunning scenes in Texas last weekend, Los Angeles and Houston Dynamo are set to clash once again in MLS with the Dynamo heading into this one off the back of battering the Black and Gold 4-0.
It was the second game in a row in which Houston have scored four goals after also beating Chicago Fire 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarter-finals. They will now battle in the semi-finals towards the end of August.
Amine Bassi scored from the penalty spot that day against Chicago, as Ibrahim Aliyu netted a brace before Nelson Giovanny Quinones Iturre scored a goal too. Four days later against LADC, Iturre scored once more before another penalty from Bassi. Corey Baird and Franco Escobar capped off a stunning display from Houston in what was easily their best win of the season and arguably the biggest upset of the season so far.
It was just the second loss of the season for LAFC, as they sit third in the Western Conference and with seven wins on the board. On the other hand, with two games in hand to play on St. Louis City at the top of the table, the California side can still reach the top of the table once more. The Black and Gold also sit behind Seattle Sounders by two points and have four games in hand over them.
After the defeat to Houston, it now means that Los Angeles have not won a game in the past five outings after also losing in both legs of their CONCACAF Champions League final to Leon. The club were also beaten by rivals LA Galaxy in the U.S. Open Cup round of 16 before that, meaning their last win was against San Jose Earthquakes in MLS four weeks ago.