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Guilherme & Houston Dynamo out to prove contender status
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- Guilherme & Houston Dynamo out to prove contender status
Guilherme & Houston Dynamo out to prove contender status
By Justin Ruderman
Guilherme has been nearly unstoppable for Houston Dynamo FC this season.
And the Brazilian Designated Player may be hitting the best form of his debut MLS season, netting four goals and two assists in his last four games following the 2026 FIFA World Cup break.
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On Saturday, he briefly catapulted the Dynamo to the top of the Western Conference – the first time Houston have ranked in the top two spots in the conference during the month of August since 2017 – before Vancouver Whitecaps FC reclaimed their pole position on Sunday night.
Now, Houston visit Vancouver on Wednesday at BC Place with the winner laying claim to first place in the West (10:30 pm ET | Apple TV ).
"One of the best players in the league"
Arriving as the club's marquee DP signing this offseason from Brazilian side Santos, alongside former LAFC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz , the 31-year-old forward carried high expectations to revitalize a Dynamo team that finished 12th in the West last season.
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As the reigning Brazilian Campeonato Paulista Golden Boot winner (10 goals), there was no doubt in his ability to put the ball in the back of the net. The question was how fast he would hit the ground running in H-Town.
Seven months and an MLS All-Star nomination later, that question has been answered emphatically.
"You need your DPs playing at a high level to really have success in this league. You can have success, and then you can make the postseason, and you can still have good years," said head coach Ben Olsen. "But to really maximize your team, your DPs have to be at a high level and performing. It's just the nature of our league, and it's nice that he's doing that.
"I think he's proven in a short amount of time that he's one of the best players in the league."
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Arguably the favorite to win the MLS Newcomer of the Year award, it's hard to disagree with Olsen's claim.
With 12g/7a through 19 league matches, Guilherme boasts the third-most goal contributions in MLS behind only perennial Landon Donovan MLS MVP candidate Evander (11g/11a) and back-to-back MVP winner Lionel Messi (12g/8a).
On Wednesday, he'll have the opportunity to shine on the big stage, in a massive match for the club.
"He's best when the lights turn on. He's a showman. He's fun to watch, and I'm very thankful, obviously, that he's here," added Olsen.
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"There's no secret that he's been a big part of why we're in the position we have because he's a game-changer, and he's put up that many goal contributions, and you need that. You need that from your DPs. You need that from your offensive pieces."
Top-tier clash
Guilherme's stellar form has logically coincided with Houston's longest winning streak this season. Unbeaten in eight games across all competitions, the Dynamo are arguably the hottest team in MLS, riding a four-game winning streak in which they haven't conceded a single goal.
Their momentum swing began all the way back in mid-May with a 1-0 victory over Vancouver at Shell Energy Stadium, notably courtesy of a 96th-minute Guilherme game-winner . Now, they'll aim to complete the sweep of the Whitecaps, proving themselves as one of the league's top contenders in the process.
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"Excited for this opportunity to go against one of the best teams in this league, not only in the moment but over the last few years. And we've all seen this team run through the league and represent MLS in the Concacaf [Champions Cup] so well. A lot of respect from our side," said Olsen.
"But once the whistle blows, we're very excited about this opportunity. In some ways, yeah, it's another league game, and we'll prep in the same way, but to be honest, there's a little something to this. Not being in this situation for a long time with this club, an opportunity to go back up top is something I think our guys are excited about."
Stern test
Still, Olsen wants to ensure the team doesn't get too far ahead of themselves. With 15 games remaining in the regular season, the Dynamo must maintain level heads if they wish to finish the season as well as they've begun.
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Nonetheless, if Houston can knock off the defending Western Conference champions on Wednesday night, the hype around this team will only continue to build.
"There's a lot of positivity coming here. We've got a long way to go, guys. We're not there yet. We've got to push this group tactically, emotionally. I think we're in a good place. Physically, I think it's a good group," said Olsen.
"But there's more to this group, and I think the focus right now is for us to just try to keep getting better. And this is a great test against one of the top two teams in the league."
