2012 Houston Dynamo season


The 2012 Houston Dynamo season was the seventh season of the team's existence and the first season in their new soccer-specific stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo entered the season as both the defending MLS Cup runners-up and Texas Derby winners. The club also played in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League.
Houston would finish the season fifth in the Eastern Conference, making a run back to MLS Cup by defeating Chicago Fire in the wild-card round, upsetting top-seeded Sporting Kansas City in the conference semifinals, and seeing off D.C. United in the conference finals. The 2011 runners-up came up short against defending champions LA Galaxy in the final by a 3–1 scoreline. As of 2024, this is the Dynamo's most recent MLS Cup appearance.

Squad information

Club roster

As of March 9, 2012.
No.PositionNationPlayer

Regular-season standings

;Eastern Conference

Match results

Preseason

Kickoff times are in CDT.

MLS regular season

Kickoff times are in CDT.

MLS Cup Playoffs

Kickoff times are in CDT.

U.S. Open Cup

Kickoff times are in CDT.

Champions League

Team

Exhibitions

Kickoff times are in CDT.

Statistics

Appearances and goals

''MLS stats from ''

Uniforms

TypeShirtShortsSocks
HomeOrangeWhiteOrange
AwayWhiteOrangeWhite
AlternateOrangeOrangeOrange

Miscellany

Allocation ranking

Houston is in the #18 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after going to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club's ranking.

International roster spots

Houston has 6 MLS International Roster Slots for use in the 2012 season. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots, which can be traded. Houston has previously dealt one spot to New York on 17 March 2009 and dealt another spot to New York on 14 January 2005 while the Houston franchise was still based in San Jose. Press reports did not indicate if or when these roster spots would revert to Houston. On 21 July 2011, Houston traded an international roster spot for the remainder of the 2011 season only to Portland Timbers.

Future draft pick trades

Future picks acquired:
Future picks traded: