Dynamo rise out West, Union teenagers shine, and summer star signings collide on Wednesday night.
Here Come the Houston Dynamo
Halfway through August, Houston Dynamo FC continue to show that they are one of the stories of the season in the Western Conference, moving up to second following Matchday 20. On Wednesday, August 19, they have a crucial road match against the No. 1 team in the Western Conference, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (10:30 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).
To illustrate what a successful season it’s been for the Dynamo so far, the last time Houston sat in the top-two of a conference on August 19 was in 2017 when they led the Western Conference at this point in the season. Houston has only finished atop their conference once in club history (2008) and will look to make it two with the help of first-year star Guilherme, U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Jack McGlynn, and several other key contributors.
The work of President of Soccer Pat Onstad and Head Coach Ben Olsen cannot be overstated when discussing Houston’s resurgence. Onstad has brought in two successful Designated Players in Guilherme and Mateusz Bogusz, while adding several other key pieces throughout the roster via multiple roster mechanisms. Meanwhile, Olsen has established a consistent style of play, building a formidable defense whose six clear-cut chances conceded are the fewest in the league, according to MLS Advanced Analytics, while developing Shell Energy Stadium into a home fortress.
Houston’s legitimacy will be tested this week when they face two of the top teams in the Western Conference on the road – Vancouver on Wednesday night and St. Louis CITY SC this Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).
Terrific Teenagers Turning Union Season Around
No club has looked more different coming out of the FIFA World Cup break than the Philadelphia Union as teenagers Cavan Sullivan and Neil Pierre are breaking out under Interim Head Coach Ryan Richter.
Sullivan and Pierre have started all four MLS games for the Union since the break, and Philadelphia is a perfect 4-0-0, going from double-digit points outside of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs hunt to just five behind D.C. United for ninth place. In his age-16 season, Sullivan has been tremendous in a full-time starting role and with two assists in Sunday’s win against New York City FC, he is now up to one goal and five assists in his last seven MLS games. For the 18-year-old Pierre, he has scored or assisted in three of the four Union wins from central defense.
The duo has been successful throughout their lives playing together – from Generation adidas Cup titles to reaching an MLS NEXT Pro Conference Final – winning on the first team is another step up the ladder. As the Union’s season turns toward a legitimate playoff push, the teenage sensations are now making the Union a must-watch MLS team each week. The next one to pay attention to is this Wednesday when they face Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF at Subaru Park (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).
Griezmann vs. Lewandowski in Summer Signings Showdown
Wednesday night marks a massive Eastern Conference clash with Audi MLS Cup playoff seeding on the line, and global superstar summer signings going head-to-head when Orlando City SC host Chicago Fire FC (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).
The matchup will see the first meeting between Antoine Griezmann and Robert Lewandowski since the 2026 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona. In their career, the two legends have played against one another 17 times, with Lewandowski scoring in nearly half of those games (eight). For Griezmann and Orlando, a win could put them back into the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs picture for the first time this year, while Chicago continues to ascend up the standings after another victory since returning from the World Cup break.
The biggest signings of the summer will square off in the Sunshine State, as they highlight a crucial midweek MLS slate.
MLS Unveils adidas Archive Collection
Last week, MLS and adidas unveiled the third iteration of the iconic adidas x MLS Archive Collection, which celebrates the nostalgia, pride, and passion of eight soccer cities that connect both past and present while honoring each club’s history, culture and identity. Many of these will be seen on the pitch this week for MLS action.
More information about the adidas x MLS Archive Collection can be found HERE.
