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HOUSTON — The great anticipated liftoff became a failure to launch for the Mets on Thursday.

A dream lineup that included Juan Soto for the first time was neutered by Framber Valdez for most of the afternoon, and the Mets’ usual Opening Day magic couldn’t be found Deep in the Heart of Texas.

Held to one extra-base hit, the Mets lost 3-1 to the Astros at Daikin Park for just the team’s sixth loss in the past 20 season openers.

Overall, the Mets are 41-23 on Opening Day — still by far an MLB best.

“I was expecting to win the game, it’s definitely not how we want it,” Soto said of his Mets debut.

Soto reached base three times — twice by walk — as he officially began a 15-year, $765 million marathon.

But with the tying runs on base in the ninth inning, he struck out against Josh Hader to end the game after working ahead 3-0 in the count.

Hader got Soto to chase a slider for the final strike with runners on first and third.

“I think everybody was like, ‘Man, let’s get Juan up and see what happens,’ ” Clay Holmes said. “At the end of the day, we got Juan up with a chance to win the game. Anybody likes his chances, and you can feel it.”

The Mets’ frustrations included leaving the bases loaded following three straight walks against Bryan Abreu in the eighth. Abreu rallied to retire Brandon Nimmo on a line drive to center.

In the ninth, Luisangel Acuña’s 12-pitch plate appearance against Hader that ended in a walk highlighted a rally that produced the Mets’ only run, on Francisco Lindor’s sacrifice fly. Starling Marte and Tyrone Taylor each singled to begin the rally.

“We got the bases loaded there and we didn’t get the big one,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “But overall against a pretty good closer in Hader we had some really good at-bats.”

Holmes, who transitioned from a reliever to starter in spring training, worked into the fifth inning and allowed three runs, two of which were earned. A former Yankees reliever, he started a regular season game for the first time since 2018 with the Pirates.

Holmes loaded the bases in the second inning and allowed a run on Jake Meyers’ RBI fielder’s choice.

But Holmes escaped further trouble by striking out Jose Altuve on a sinker after working the count full.

Jeremy Peña was drilled by a pitch to start the rally before Cam Smith singled in his first MLB at-bat and Brendan Rodgers walked to load the bases.

In the third, Holmes walked Isaac Paredes leading off before consecutive singles from Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz extended the Astros’ lead to 2-0.

Peña’s ensuing grounder could have been an inning-ending double play, but Acuña threw away the relay, allowing Walker to score.

Holmes allowed two singles in the fourth, but escaped as Pete Alonso managed to keep his foot on the bag to complete an inning-ending double play as Acuña’s relay throw on Paredes’ grounder to Mark Vientos sailed.

Luis Torrens committed a sin in the fifth by getting nailed at third base to end the inning on a ball in the dirt that caromed off the back wall to the catcher Diaz. It left Soto standing at the plate.

“You don’t want to be the last out, especially when Soto is hitting,” Torrens said. “I took a risk and it was bad luck.”

Diaz walked with two outs in the fifth to end Holmes’ day.

Overall, the right-hander allowed three earned runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. He was removed after 89 pitches. Huascar Brazobán recorded the final out in the frame.

The Mets had their best chance against Valdez, who pitched six shutout innings, in the first after Soto singled in his first official plate appearance with the Mets and Vientos walked. But Nimmo and Marte were retired in succession to end the threat.

“Typical Valdez, that sinker down in the zone,” Mendoza said. “He got us today.”