Sporting Kansas City II face Houston Dynamo II on Saturday, Aug 1 at 2:00 AM in a basement battle that neither side can afford to lose. Both clubs are deep in the relegation picture in the MLS Next Pro, and defeat here could prove costly come the end of the season.

Sporting Kansas City II come into this fixture struggling badly (1W 4L in last 5). Houston Dynamo II, meanwhile, arrive in mixed form (2W 0D 3L) — actually the better-performing side in recent weeks. Sporting Kansas City II head into this on the back of a defeat, while Houston Dynamo II arrive off a win — momentum clearly with the visitors.

Despite playing at home, Sporting Kansas City II face a side that has dominated this fixture historically. Houston Dynamo II have won 6 of 10 encounters, with 2 draws. Their last encounter ended in Houston Dynamo II won 2–1. These two tend to produce goals — averaging 3.4 per game in recent meetings.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives Sporting Kansas City II a slight edge, but Houston Dynamo II are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.