New England vs Houston Dynamo preview
2026 Major League Soccer, United States
Boston Stadium
Today - 8:30 PM
Major League Soccer
Live : 2nd Half
Today
8:30 PM
Regular Season
STANDINGS
Loading standings...
Sorry, standings could not be loaded right now.
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts | Form |
|---|
Promotion
Promotion Playoffs
Relegation
Data last checked: Aug 8
Events
2ND-HALF
72'
3rd Substitution
63'
Header / 2nd Goal
Jack Harrison → Marcos Zambrano
2nd Substitution
55'
Cody Baker → Matt Polster
1st Substitution
54'
54'
1st Yellowcard
1ST-HALF
45+1'
Right foot shot / 1st Goal
Statistics
Possession
NER
48%
HOU
52%
Top Statistics
0
Goals
2
0
Big Chances Created
1
0
Shots
4
48
Dangerous attacks
26
47
Possession
53
8
Corners
4
8
Free kicks
6
0
Yellow Cards
1
Match Overview
28
Ball Safe
29
3
Goal Attempts
5
2
Substitutions
1
12
Throwins
9
4
Successful Headers
5
0
Assists
1
1
Injuries
0
3
Dribble Attempts
7
3
Successful Dribbles
7
60
Successful Dribbles Percentage
64
Attacking
92
Attacks
68
Possession
20
Long Passes
19
377
Passes
435
326
Successful Passes
388
86
Successful Passes Percentage
89
7
Key Passes
9
Defensive
1
Saves
1
7
Tackles
4
5
Interceptions
8
26
Duels Won
25
Build-up
13
Total Crosses
3
Discipline
0
Offsides
1
7
Fouls
8
Lineup
Referee :
Malik Badawi
Manager ▼
M. Mitrovic
Coach
Starting XI ▼
2
Mamadou Fofana
Defender
7.09 8
Matt Polster
Defender
6.62 15
Cody Baker
6.76Defender54'
22
Ethan Kohler
Defender
6.89 23
Will Sands
Defender
6.89 10
Carles Gil (C)
Midfielder
7.56 21
Brooklyn Raines
Midfielder
6.79 80
Alhassan Yusuf
Midfielder
6.97 17
Marcos Zambrano
Attacker
6.55 11
Jack Harrison
7.04Midfielder55'
25
Peyton Miller
Attacker
6.88 99
Dor Turgeman
Attacker
6.98 Substitutes ▼
33
Donovan Parisian
Goalkeeper
4
Tanner Beason
Defender
6.64 14
Jackson Yueill
Midfielder
6.56 38
Eric Klein
Midfielder
6.5 77
Diego Fagúndez
Midfielder
6.54 7
Griffin Yow
Attacker
6.54 27
Wilson Harris
Attacker
6.59
Referee :
Malik Badawi
Manager ▼
B. Olsen
Coach
Starting XI ▼
Substitutes ▼
CONTEXT
Entering the second half at minute 45, Houston Dynamo continues to assert qualitative control over proceedings against New England. The away side has generated the clearer openings and holds a modest edge in overall territory. Expected goals favor Houston Dynamo, reflecting their ability to create higher quality chances while limiting the home side's opportunities. Possession has settled into a pattern where the visitors maintain a slight majority of the ball, allowing them to dictate tempo in key phases. No red cards have disrupted the flow, preserving the original structure of the contest. These developments remain consistent with pre-match signals that identified Houston Dynamo as the stronger side, with the live picture showing no meaningful departure from those expectations. The match continues without major structural shifts.
TL;DR
-
Live state: Houston Dynamo holds qualitative control in the second half at minute 45 as the live leader.
-
Structural vs live: Live patterns remain aligned with pre-match signals identifying Houston Dynamo as the stronger team.
-
Projection vs live: The live state shows neutral alignment with no deviation from pre-match projection expectations.
-
xG trend: Houston Dynamo leads the xG trend through more efficient chance creation compared to pre-match indicators.
-
Possession profile: Houston Dynamo maintains a possession profile slightly above even, consistent with pre-match team strength signals.
-
Event impact: Absence of cards keeps event impact neutral and in line with pre-match structural expectations.
-
Second-half outlook: The second half outlook favors Houston Dynamo building on their established edge without major disruptions.
No standings statistics available.
No head-to-head records found.
0.5+ goals: 85%
1.5+ goals: 70%
2.5+ goals: 50%
3.5+ goals: 25%
Confidence: High (≥8 matches)
Quality vs Volume
Home: xG 1.8, Shots 12, xG/Shot 0.15
Away: xG 1.5, Shots 14, xG/Shot 0.11
Open Play vs Set Play
Open Play: 65%
Set Play: 35%
Expected Points
| Team | xPts |
|---|---|
| Home | 1.8 |
| Away | 1.2 |
ℹ️
Methodology: Expected Goals (xG) measures shot quality
M. Badawi
Referee
•
25 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee
30.4
League Avg
0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee
4
League Avg
0
Red Cards / Match
Referee
0.36
League Avg
0
Penalties / Match
Referee
0.36
League Avg
0
C. Parker
1st Assistant
•
0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Red Cards / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Penalties / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
K. Atkins
2nd Assistant
•
0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Red Cards / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Penalties / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
R. Montero
4th Official
•
0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Red Cards / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
Penalties / Match
Referee
0
League Avg
0
M. Mitrovic
VS
B. Olsen
1.76
Avg Points / Game
(Last 100 Matches)
1.71
1.33 i
Last 6 Opponents
CF Montréal
Rank: 60
D
Atlanta United
Rank: 55
W
Toronto
Rank: 57
D
Charlotte
Rank: 65
L
Minnesota United
Rank: 65
W
Nashville SC
Rank: 72
L
Avg Points / Game
(Last 6 Matches)
1.83 i
Last 6 Opponents
Sporting KC
Rank: 55
W
Austin
Rank: 59
W
DC United
Rank: 55
D
LA Galaxy
Rank: 61
D
Vancouver Whitecaps
Rank: 73
W
Real Salt Lake
Rank: 64
L
0
Head to Head
(Wins - Draws - Losses)
0 - 0 - 1
1
Team Power Ranking
iWhat is Power Ranking?
Power ranking is SportMonks' model-based team strength indicator. Historical input capped to 2 seasons.
62.01
64.96
0 (Weakest)
100 (Strongest)
Metric
New England
Houston Dynamo
Power Score
62.01
64.96
League Position
3
4
Global Rank
519
412
Form Analysis Opponent-Weighted
Line chart of recent results (points/trend). Friendlies excluded by default. Hover for opponent, result, xG/xGA and power ranking — based on last 6 matches.
–
vs
New England
—
Opponent-weighted form score
Houston Dynamo
—
Opponent-weighted form score
Win (3 pts)
Draw (1 pt)
Loss (0 pts)
New England Houston Dynamo
Heatmaps Ball coordinates
Attack and defence zones from ball position data. Filters: last 6 matches (overall/home/away), time period, competition.
–
vs
Loading…
New England
Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —
Own half density —
vs season average —
Houston Dynamo
Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —
Own half density —
vs season average —
Possession Efficiency data not available for this match.
Set Pieces Efficiency Attack & Defence
Set-piece reliance and strength using expected metrics and actual outcomes for each team.
New England
vs
Houston Dynamo
Created
Set-piece attacking threat
New England
Houston Dynamo
Set-piece xG Share
Share of total expected goals generated from set pieces. Higher = more set-piece reliant in attack.
12%
Goals per Match
Average set-piece goals scored per match.
0.00
0.00
vs Expected (xG)
Goals scored minus set-piece xG. Positive = overperforming; Negative = underperforming expectations.
-0.05
vs
-0.13
Conceded
Set-piece defensive exposure
New England
Houston Dynamo
Set-piece xGA Share
Share of total expected goals conceded from set pieces. Higher = more exposed to set pieces defensively.
12%
Conceded per Match
Average set-piece goals conceded per match.
0.00
0.00
vs Expected (xGA)
Goals conceded minus set-piece xGA. Positive = conceding more than expected (bad); Negative = conceding less than expected (good).
-0.13
vs
-0.05
New England
Houston Dynamo
xG Share = set-piece xG ÷ total xG
vs Expected = goals − set-piece xG
Counter / Transition Attack & Defence
What happens in the 15 seconds immediately after possession changes hands — based on Last 6 matches.
–
New England
vs
Houston Dynamo
Attack After Winning
Possession transition → offence
New England
Houston Dynamo
Goals per Match
Average goals scored within 15s of winning the ball per match.
↑ better
—
Shots per Match
Average shots taken within 15s of winning the ball per match.
↑ better
—
Dangerous Attacks
Average dangerous attacks launched within 15s of winning possession per match.
↑ better
—
Transition Efficiency Index
Composite score (0–1) of how efficiently this team attacks within 15s of winning the ball. Higher = more dangerous on transition.
Higher = stronger on the counter
New England
0.00
Houston Dynamo
0.00
Defence After Losing
Possession loss → defensive exposure
New England
Houston Dynamo
Goals Conceded
Average goals conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match.
↓ better
—
Shots Conceded
Average shots conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match.
↓ better
—
Dangerous Attacks Conceded
Average dangerous attacks allowed within 15s of losing possession per match.
↓ better
—
Vulnerability Index
Composite score (0–1) of how exposed this team is within 15s of losing the ball. Lower = better at preventing transition attacks.
Lower = better transition defence
New England
0.00
Houston Dynamo
0.00
New England
Houston Dynamo
Window = 15s post-possession change
Index = 0–1 composite score
PRESSURE INDEX
Momentum phases from smoothed minute-by-minute pressure.
- HOU had peak pressure around 73'.
- NER started the game with stronger pressure.
NER Pressure
HOU Pressure
⚡
Pressure Index:
HOU reached the top pressure at 73' (64.43).
Team Head to Head Last 6 Seasons
Summary of 1 match between these sides — filtered by competition and venue context.
New England
NER
Home
1
matches
Houston Dynamo
HOU
Away
Match Record
0
Wins
1
0
Draws
0
1
Losses
0
Goals
1
Goals Scored
2
2
Goals Conceded
1
-1
Goal Difference
+1
Expected Goals
0
xG
0
0
xGA
0
Data last updated: 2026-08-08T20:00:20+00:00
PLAYERS CURRENTLY PLAYING
Match Formation
4-3-3
Match Formation
4-2-3-1
30 M. Turner
15 C. Baker
22 E. Kohler
2 M. Fofana
23 W. Sands
10 (C) C. Gil de Pareja Vicent
21 B. Raines
80 A. Yusuf
25 P. Miller
99 D. Turgeman
11 J. Harrison
General Information
Date & Time
Aug 08, 2026, 08:30 PM
Competition
2026 Major League Soccer, United States · Regular Season
Stadium
Boston Stadium
Capacity
66829
Pitch Surface
Artificial turf
Weather
☀️ 12°C, Fair
Referees
Malik Badawi
Corey Parker
Kyle Atkins
Ricardo Montero
Next Match
New England
vs
Toronto
League: Major League Soccer
Kickoff: Sat, 15 Aug - 11:30 PM
Venue: Toronto Stadium
Houston Dynamo
vs
LA Galaxy
League: Major League Soccer
Kickoff: Sun, 16 Aug - 12:30 AM
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium
CONCLUSION
Houston Dynamo has carried their pre-match advantages into the second half at minute 45, controlling key areas of the pitch through superior chance quality and a measured possession share. New England has yet to find consistent routes forward, leaving the contest shaped by the visitors' ability to manage tempo. With no disciplinary interruptions, the game retains its original tactical framework. The current balance suggests Houston Dynamo can continue to probe for openings while restricting transitions. New England will need to increase their intensity in possession to alter the qualitative picture. Overall the second half remains on a path that echoes the pre-match assessment of relative team strengths.
Match Commentary