Ben Olsen conceded that the Houston Dynamo are still searching for the recipe to success after starting the 2025 MLS season with back-to-back defeats.

The Dynamo were thrashed 4-1 by Inter Miami, who were without Lionel Messi, seeing them prop up the Western Conference at this early stage.

This will be the Dynamo's first away match of the campaign. In 2024, they set club records with eight wins and 26 points on the road, and Olsen said his team must earn the right to play when they take on the Columbus Crew this weekend.

"Kick the ball up the field. How about that one?", Olsen fumed when asked about what his team needed to improve on. "Stop trying to play soccer in our own box, and when we do, play it to the right foot. We can do a lot.

"This idea of earning the right to play is something we live with, other teams live with. We still want to play soccer, we still want to be brave. But you don't just step on the field and have teams allow you to do that. You have to earn it.

"Especially when you are a team in transition, and you are not a well-oiled machine. You figure out ways to hang in there, and you don't p*** away goals like we did.

"We were outcompeted by, essentially, not the best version of Miami. I think we were outcoached, and that is not a good recipe. That is not a way to have success."

The Columbus Crew, meanwhile, have started in fine form, with Jacen Russell-Rowe scoring the only goal to see them edge the New England Revolution last time out.

However, they were beaten 3-0 by Los Angeles FC in their two-game round-of-16 series in the CONCACAF Champions Cup game in midweek, and head coach Wilfried Nancy is looking for a response in the league.

"I think that we struggled in terms of connection," Nancy said. "We have to connect and have a good first touch and combine. Also, we lost a few balls that we usually don't lose.

"At certain moments, we didn't have a good position. We tried to fix it. In the second half, we tried to push, but again, they defended well, and we were not able to attack the box really well. This was the situation."

Despite their deficit, midfielder DeJuan Jones is confident his team-mates can turn the tie around in the second game.

"We've had some great comebacks," Jones said. "I think back to the Leagues Cup game against Miami. We're down 2-0, and we scored three goals in the second half. Within 90 minutes, we can easily score three goals."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Jacen Russell-Rowe

Russell-Rowe scored the only goal in the Crew's win over New England in the 51st minute last Saturday, with his impact in the second half of games proving crucial once again.

Nine of his 11 career MLS goals have been scored after half-time, and he will be hoping to have a similar say in the contest at Lower.com Field this time around.

Houston Dynamo – Sebastian Kowalczyk

Despite their defeat to Inter Miami, Kowalczyk had an impressive, combative display for the Dynamo and will be hoping his team can back him up this weekend.

He won more duels (nine) than any of his team-mates last time out, while also completing more dribbles (four) and winning more fouls (seven) for the Dynamo.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

The Crew are unbeaten in 11 straight home matches against Houston in all competitions (W7 D4), with the only meeting in Columbus over the last six years coming in last year's CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16, a scoreless draw.

They have also won their opening two regular-season matches for the third time in club history (previously 2014 and 2018). They have only taken nine points from their first three matches of a season once, doing so in 2014.

Houston, meanwhile, has opened the regular season with consecutive defeats for the second time in three years (also in 2023). The Dynamo have collected at least one point in their opening two matches in each of their first 17 MLS seasons dating back to 2006, though. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 52.7%

Draw – 24.2%

Houston Dynamo – 23.1%