Your Loons are back in the North Star State for their first of two matches against the Houston Dynamo this month, taking on the east-Texas side for the first time in 2026. It’s a showdown that finds these clubs at opposing ends of the Western Conference standings, and as the regular season nears closer and closer to crunch time, it’s a potentially massive matchup for your playoff-chasing Loons. Oh, and happy birthday, Dylan Wolpers.

Minnesota United (7-12-8)

Run of Form: L-L-L-L-L

Your Loons have scored multiple goals in three of their last five games — not too shabby for a team that was struggling to find the net early in 2026. Unfortunately, they’ve conceded multiple goals in each of those five games, making for a net minus seven goal difference in that span. Losses to fellow playoff chasers Seattle and LA Galaxy have seen the Loons miss out on golden opportunities to take their fate into their own hands, while a run-in with the juggernaut that is St. Louis CITY proved to be too much for the Black and Blue to handle. Scattered moments of good play on either end of the field simply haven’t come together recently, making for a tough run of games.

Houston Dynamo (13-9-5)

Run of Form: L-D-L-W-D

Houston’s run of form stays true to their season trend — consistently inconsistent. The Dynamo are liable to win two games on the bounce, lose to a team they’re expected to beat, win again, then draw a few. They’re all over the map, making them a microcosm of the parity that everyone loves about Major League Soccer. They’ve managed to navigate the loss of US international Jack McGlynn to the English Championship with just enough grace to stay relevant in the west, cementing themselves firmly in the postseason conversation and showcasing enough upside potential to give their fans some hope this year.

Keys to the Match:

Tight Margins

Among teams currently occupying a playoff spot, Houston’s 34 goals scored is the lowest tally across the board. In fact, despite sitting in fifth place at the moment, the Dynamo have the conference’s second-worst goal-scoring rate, ahead of just last-place SKC (32). Brazilian forward Guilherme Santos leads his side with 13 goals on the season, but past him, Mateusz Bogusz stands out as Houston’s only real threat in the final third. They’ve got several players who can cause headaches (Ibrahim Aliyu, Lawrence Ennali), but the production hasn’t been there, meaning almost every game — and their season as a whole — is balanced on a knife’s edge. This could play out one of two ways; either the Loons, who have been leaking goals, shore up their lines against a side that struggles to find ideas, or that very same side finds their scoring form against a Loons defense that’s had struggles of its own. This is a Loon-friendly website, of course, so let’s consider how the former might happen. Early in the season, Head Coach Cameron Knowles expressed interest in playing more of a four-man backline, remember? Now, you may think that taking numbers out of the back is a bad thing, but in this case, less might be more. With a five-man backline, wingbacks often operate more like wingers than defenders. In a flat four, outside backs are asked to be far more picky about when they get forward, meaning that at any given time, the Loons are likely to have four players ready to delay the opposition, rather than just the three center backs that tend to be the first line of confrontation in the current setup. A small change like this could be the difference in not only this game, but the playoff race as a whole.

O’Caldeira

Uncovering a new source of goals is always welcome, but finding one down the stretch while you’re chasing a postseason berth? That’s got to be one of the top three times to do it. We’ve already spoken about Marcus Caldeira’s instant impact since getting regular minutes with the first team — scoring five goals and adding three assists in fewer than 600 minutes of MLS and Leagues Cup play — and it seems the world has taken notice. The young forward earned his first international call-up to play with his native Canada against the USA at Allianz Field, further establishing 2026 as a breakout year for the MLS rookie. This kid is flying right now, and seeing as he plays a position that’s so easily affected by confidence, it feels incredibly likely that he’ll be champing at the bit to get touches on the ball against Houston. The Dynamo’s 32 goals allowed are a testament to their defensive stability this season, and considering all the noise around Caldeira at the moment, it’s likely they’ll be focused on finding ways to stop the Loons’ latest Canadian phenom. Should they commit numbers to slowing him down, leading goal scorer Kelvin Yeboah will be more than happy to play in the spaces afforded him, giving the visitors plenty to worry about in front of their own net. 

Runs in the Family

It’s the Markanich Derby! Brothers Anthony and Nick Markanich are set to be on opposite ends of the field this weekend, and while they may not see each other much during the game, it’s fun, isn’t it? Nick has logged 104 minutes for Houston in 2026, featuring in eight games during his loan spell from Spanish club CD Castellón, but his history suggests he’s got plenty more to offer. Both brothers were selected in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, but while Anthony remained in MLS, Nick tried his hand in the second division after a spell with Cincinnati. A 30-goal season for the Charleston Battery in the 2024 USL Championship season saw the forward finish the year as the highest-scoring player in all of American domestic leagues, surpassing the likes of Lionel Messi, Christian Benteke, and every other player plying their trade on our shores. Meanwhile, Anthony bounced from Colorado to St. Louis, and finally found his form in Minnesota, where he’s not only emerged as one of the league’s most effective goal-scoring defenders, but even earned an All-Star nod this season to recognize his standout efforts. The soccer gene seems to be alive and well in this family, and whether or not we get to see the brothers go at it during regulation, it’ll be nice to see the two of them unite for this special moment.