Houston Dynamo's Wilmer Cabrera becomes fifth fired MLS coach in 2019

Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The Houston Dynamo have dismissed manager Wilmer Cabrera, making him the fifth Major League Soccer coach fired this season.

Houston announced the decision Tuesday. Cabrera was replaced by assistant coach Davy Arnaud on an interim basis. The Dynamo have a 9-13-3 record and sit in ninth place in the MLS Western Conference. The team began the season 7-2-2, the best start in franchise history.

"We'd like to thank Wilmer for all of his hard work and dedication over the course of the last two and a half seasons with the Houston Dynamo, including last year's U.S. Open Cup title. We wish him all the best moving forward," Dynamo senior vice president and general manager Matt Jordan said in a news release.

"At this time, we as a club believe the team will benefit from a fresh perspective as we enter the final third of our season and make a push to qualify for the playoffs," Jordan said.

Cabrera posted a 32-39-22 record during his 2017 campaign. The Dynamo won the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Arnaud -- who will take over for the rest of the season -- previously worked as an assistant coach for D.C. United. He joined the Dynamo in 2017.

Other coaches fired this season were Cincinnati's Alan Koch, Real Salt Lake's Mike Petke, New England's Brad Friedel and Colorado's Anthony Hudson.

The Dynamo are on a five-game losing streak. Houston hosts the Colorado Rapids at 9 p.m. EDT Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.