Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff challenged his team to fight against "adversity" when they host derby rivals Houston Dynamo on Saturday.
Austin are 10th in the Western Conference, and are 10 points behind the playoff spots, with the Dynamo currently sitting in seventh place.
They have won just one of their last seven MLS outings (a 2-0 win over Nashville SC), and are winless in three, though they did draw 1-1 with Los Angeles FC last time out.
When asked if he was still targeting the playoffs, Wolff insisted that his team would fight to the last game.
"More adversity, bring it on," he said. "It's what we have to deal with.
"These guys compete, they have nothing but confidence in what we're doing. We should have more points based on some of the performances, but we keep looking forward and powering on.
"We need a big, big push at home and a big performance, but it's certainly attainable."
Meanwhile, Houston are unbeaten in each of their last four outings, winning two and drawing two, but were unable to hold onto their lead in a 1-1 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps in midweek.
They can make history on Saturday though – a win would set a new record for road victories in a single season, and it would be their first-ever triumph at Q2 Stadium, having lost all five previous visits.
"We're thinking of the game in front of us right now, and we owe Austin," Griffin Dorsey said. "They took six points from us.
"It's a rivalry game in a good atmosphere. It'll be a great night to take three points from them, and [making history] would make it more special."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Austin FC – Jader Obrian
On Wednesday, Jader Obrian notched his team-leading sixth goal of the season, but it was his first road goal in 2024.
The only MLS player with at least six goals this season to have a higher percentage of them coming at home than Obrian (83.3%) is William Agada of Sporting Kansas City (88.9%).
Houston Dynamo – Ezequiel Ponce
Ezequiel Ponce scored Houston's lone goal on a penalty kick in their 1-1 draw with Vancouver on Wednesday.
It was just the Dynamo's second penalty attempt in the regular season in 2024. The club had at least four penalty-kick attempts in each of the previous seven seasons entering 2024.
MATCH PREDICTION: HOUSTON DYNAMO WIN
The Dynamo have recorded three straight road wins in all competitions for the first time since a six-match winning streak away from home in 2011-12. That six-match run is Houston's only road winning streak longer than three matches.
Austin have won three straight matches against the Dynamo, keeping clean sheets in all three wins. The Black and Verde have never recorded four straight regular-season wins against a single opponent.
However, Austin have won just one of their last six regular-season home matches (D2 L3) dating back to late May. They had won five straight at Q2 Stadium prior to this drought.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Austin FC – 33.8%
Draw – 25.7%
Houston Dynamo – 40.5%