Austin and Houston Dynamo square off at Q2 Stadium on Sunday in MLS as both look to bounce back from their defeat in the last game.
The Verde were thrashed 4-0 by San Jose on Thursday, their second consecutive defeat in the league and third in their last four games.
With just 25 points from 30 matches, they remain at the foot of the Western Conference league table. They will be hoping to finish higher with only four more rounds left before the end of their campaign.
Houston haven't covered themselves in much glory either, collecting just five more points and sitting in 11th.
Indeed, Houston and Austin are two of the only three sides already eliminated from the playoffs.
El Naranja, who only finished 12th last year, didn't make any big improvements in the current season, overseeing what's been another disappointing campaign for them.
Austin vs Houston Dynamo Head-To-Head
The sides have already clashed twice in the 2021 calendar year, with both sides winning one game apiece.
Austin won 3-2 in August before Houston exacted revenge with a 3-0 vanquish the following month.
Austin Form Guide (all competitions): L-L-W-L-W
Houston Dynamo Form Guide (all competitions): L-W-L-D-L
Austin vs Houston Dynamo Team News
Austin
The Verde have a fair bit of injury concerns going into Sunday with five players currently injured. Ben Sweat, is out with damage to his anterior cruciate ligament and Matt Besler has a concussion.
Injured: Ulises Segura, Ben Sweat, Aaron Schoenfeld, Danny Hoesen, Matt Besler
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Houston Dynamo
Nico Lemoine (right groin), Corey Baird (lower body) and Mateo Bajamich (lower body) are injured for El Naranja.
Adam Lundkvist and Derrick Jones are doubtful.
Injured: Nico Lemoine, Corey Baird, Mateo Bajamich
Doubtful: Adam Lundkvist, Derrick Jones
Suspended: None
Unavailable: None
Austin vs Houston Dynamo Predicted XI
Austin (4-4-2): Brad Stuver; Nick Lima, Hector Jiménez, Freddy Kleemann, Žan Kolmanič; Diego Fagúndez, Tomás Pochettino, Sebastián Driussi, Cecilio Domínguez; Kekuta Manneh, Moussa Djitte.
Houston Dynamo (3-4-1-2): Marko Maric; Tim Parker, Zarek Valentin, Maynor Figueroa; Griffin Dorsey, Ariel Lassiter, Darwin Cerén, Sam Junqua; Tyler Pasher; Maximiliano Urruti, Fafà Picault.
Austin vs Houston Dynamo Prediction
Both sides have had an underwhelming campaign. Their defense, too, has been really poor, conceding almost half a century of goals.
In a game of two lowly ranked sides like this, a low-scoring draw seems like the most probable outcome.
Prediction: Austin 1-1 Houston Dynamo