Foxy Watch Guide: Houston takes center stage to kick off its 15th season

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Update (2/29 @ 9:00 AM): Injury Report has been updated.

Houston Dynamo host LA Galaxy in time to kick off Major League Soccer's 25th season as the pinnacle of professional soccer in the United States and Canada since its inaugural season in 1995.

The Dynamo this year celebrate its 15th season representing Houston after the former San Jose Earthquakes franchise moved to Robertson Stadium nearly 15 years ago, sparking the beautiful-yet-ugly story of our beloved club. Coming off a 1-1-1 record from their latest preseason trip to Tucson, Arizona against league opponents, Houston Dynamo still have lots to prove with new head coach Tab Ramos taking over a roster that desperately needed a face-lift coming off the club's second-worst performance in league play this past year.

MLS-original LA Galaxy look to spoil Houston's party, as always, as they come in with a strong roster and big names such as "Chicharito" Hernandez and Cristian Pavon. In his second season coaching in MLS, Guillermo Barros Schelotto has a clear understanding of his side after cracking a Top 7 spot in the league standings but just falling short in the MLS Cup Playoffs and their other competitions in 2019.

Watch Guide

• Major League Soccer (Week 1, Game #3)

• Kick Off: 2:30 PM Central Standard Time

• TV: Univision / TUDN (Spanish language, SAP available)

• Stream: Twitter @MLS (English language, United States only)

Note: because this game will be featured on national television, coverage on ESPN+ will be blacked out. Coverage on KUBE57 may be affected depending on black-out regulations and on the broadcaster.

• Head-to-Head: 31st meeting in MLS - Dynamo 12W-11L-7D (8W-5L-3D at home)

• Referees: Jair Marrufo (head), Frank Anderson (AR1), Michael Barwegen (AR2), Alejandro Mariscal (4TH), Jose Carlos Rivero (VAR), Ian Anderson (VAR2)

• Injury Report: OUT: DF Victor Cabrera (right hip), FW Alberth Elis (right thigh), MF Marcelo Palomino (back). QUESTIONABLE: MF Darwin Quintero (right thigh), DF Zarek Valentin (illness)

• LA Galaxy Injury Report: QUESTIONABLE: MF Jonathan dos Santos (groin injury), MF Efrain Alvarez (left ankle injury)

• Trivia of the Match: Houston Dynamo have not lost a home opener since 2012, last one being a 1-0 loss in 2011 against Philadelphia Union at Robertson Stadium

Prediction

Houston Dynamo win 4-3

As wild as the league's parity is, I can definitely picture this match-up being a fireworks show for the right and wrong reasons. Even though the Galaxy can earn a point or three if they are able to exploit potential defensive holes and contain Houston's strike-force, my bias self tells me that the Dynamo will somehow find a way to trickle through the cracks yet again which is going to be dependent on Matias Vera having a solid performance as CDM (potentially) and how to fit in Darwin Quintero in the Manotas-Elis equation (that is of course if Elis is healthy).

For the record, this game can go south pretty quick.

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