Ben Olsen will not treat the Houston Dynamo's Decision Day matchup with St. Louis City SC like a playoff game, though he still expects his players to give everything as the sides jostle for position ahead of the postseason.

The Dynamo sit fifth in the Western Conference with one regular-season game remaining, level on points with fourth-placed St. Louis.

Both teams are assured of their MLS Cup Playoff places, but with the San Jose Earthquakes only a point better off than the duo in third, they have a chance to improve their respective seedings going into the postseason. 

Houston were in good form before losing 3-1 to the Portland Timbers on Sunday, and though Olsen wants a response this weekend, he is not placing too much importance on the game.

"It's not a playoff game. When it's a playoff game, it will be a playoff game. When it's the last day of the season, it'll just be the last day of the season," Olsen told reporters. 

"We're going to go after it – we'll put our group together and prepare to give everything we have."

Asked where he felt Houston came up short against Portland, Olsen added: "The standings don't mean anything in this league – they never have and they never will. 

"As long as the league continues with this format, in this way, that will be the case. This [Portland] was not a team that we took lightly – they're a good team. 

"I just didn't think we were sharp enough in some of those moments. That can come down to a bunch of different things; it can be fatigue, it can just be quality, and I think we were just second-best there." 

We've got your location set for tomorrow  https://t.co/G1ckTdMfXu

— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) November 6, 2026

St. Louis are not approaching the playoffs in good form, after last weekend's 1-0 defeat to San Diego FC extended their losing streak to four games in MLS. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Houston Dynamo – Agustin Bouzat 

Bouzat scored the Dynamo's lone goal against Portland Timbers last time out, in the 71st minute. 

Both of his goals for Houston this season have been scored in the final 20 minutes of matches, so could he steal the headlines with another late contribution this week?

St. Louis City SC – Rafael Santos

St. Louis failed to score despite recording seven shots on target against San Diego last Saturday. 

Santos is the most accurate shooter on the team with more than 10 shots (excluding blocks), getting 75% of his efforts on target, but he has only converted 5.3% of those shots into goals – he will be keen to build some momentum going into the postseason.

MATCH PREDICTION – HOUSTON DYNAMO WIN

St. Louis have won three of the previous seven meetings between these sides, with two games going Houston's way and the other being drawn.

Only two matches between these sides have ever seen fewer than two goals, though both of those were at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium.

Though St. Louis have lost four straight regular-season games, they did defeat the Columbus Crew on penalties in the U.S. Open Cup final during this streak.

The Dynamo, meanwhile, were unbeaten in five games prior to their 3-1 defeat to Portland, with that game seeing three goals scored in the final 25 minutes – Olsen will be keen for them to respond. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Houston Dynamo – 39.2%

St. Louis City SC – 34.3%

Draw – 26.5%