Houston Dynamo FC and Dynamo 2 Tackle Doubleheader Before International Break
September 17, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Houston Dynamo FC News Release
HOUSTON – Houston Dynamo FC close the week with a road trip to Banc of California Stadium on Sunday to face Los Angeles Football Club. The Dynamo will look to build momentum going into the final FIFA break of the regular season and enter the match with three points after a 3-1 victory over the New England Revolution on Tuesday. Houston Dynamo 2 close the regular season against North Texas SC on Sunday at AVEVA Stadium.
The Dynamo closed a two-game homestand with three points and look for back-to-back victories on Sunday prior to the FIFA break. Corey Baird and Fafa Picault finished with Team of the Week performances after the duo played a key role in Tuesday’s 3-1 triumph. Baird tallied an assist on the opening goal after he dribbled into the box and found forward Darwin Quintero at the far post for a one-touch finish. Picault converted a penalty kick for the game-winning goal and finished with a brace after a spectacular strike from the edge of the box.
The Dynamo midfield will receive reinforcements on Sunday with the return of Matias Vera who served a one-match suspension for a red card on Sept. 10 in Houston’s 0-0 draw with Sporting Kansas City. Midfielder Darwin Ceren filled in the defensive midfield role on Tuesday and finished with two chances created and won possession five times.
The Dynamo earned their first victory over LAFC in league play on Aug. 31, the first meeting of the season between both teams. Forward Sebas Ferreira converted a penalty kick and defender Griffin Dorsey scored the game-winning goal with a curling effort off his left foot from the top of the penalty area.
LAFC enter Sunday’s match as the best team in the Western Conference, but the Black and Gold have only earned four points from their last five games. Carlos Vela scored the equalizer on the road in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Minnesota United. LAFC will look to keep pace with the Philadelphia Union for the Supporters’ Shield and currently sit two points behind the top team in the Eastern Conference.
The Dynamo return to league play on Oct. 2 when they travel to GEODIS Park in Tennessee to face Nashville SC. Houston closes the regular season at home against Javier Hernandez and the LA Galaxy on Oct. 9.
WHO:
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Los Angeles Football Club
Houston Dynamo 2 vs. North Texas SC
WHEN:
Sunday, Sept. 18 – 9:30 p.m. CDT
Sunday, Sept. 18 – 6:00 p.m. CDT
TV:
AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Glenn Davis and Eddie Robinson)
TeleXitos 47.2 (Alex Parra and Gustavo Rangel)
STREAM: MLSNEXTPro.com
RADIO:
TUDN Deportes Houston 93.3 FM (Daniel Mejia and Cesar Procel)
N/A
DYNAMO 2 LOOK FOR MOMENTUM PRIOR TO PLAYOFFS
Dynamo 2 return to AVEVA Stadium for the final match of the regular season as they host North Texas SC. Dynamo Dos conceded late on the road last Sunday to drop their final road trip of the season 1-0 against the Colorado Rapids.
Dynamo 2 enter Saturday’s game with one of the best home records in MLS NEXT Pro and they are one of three teams to win nine or more games at home this year. Defensively, Dynamo 2 have the most clean sheets in the Western Conference with 10 and have only conceded four goals at home. Houston will look to contain a North Texas offense that has scored 48 goals this season, the fourth best mark in the league.
Sunday’s match will be the third between Dynamo Dos and North Texas with Houston earning three points in the first meeting, a 3-2 victory at Toyota Stadium on April 23. The two teams played to a 3-3 draw on July 15 and Houston took two points after winning the penalty kick shootout.
Fans are invited to a tailgate and watch party for Sunday’s game at AVEVA Stadium following the Houston Dynamo 2 vs. North Texas SC match. Tickets for the Dynamo 2 regular season finale are available at HoustonDynamoFC.com/Tickets.
Here are three key points ahead of Sunday’s doubleheader:
INTERNATIONAL WINDOW FEATURES HEAVY DYNAMO PRESENCE: Dynamo captain Héctor Herrera, forward Sebas Ferreira, midfielder Coco Carrasquilla and midfielder Darwin Cerén, have been called into their country’s senior national teams. Meanwhile, forward Thor Úlfarsson, midfielder Juan Castilla, goalkeeper Xavier Valdez and Joyner Castillo have been called into their country’s youth national teams. Additionally, Andre Gitau and Zeke Soto will represent the Dynamo Academy with the U.S. Under-17 Men’s Youth National Team at the Vaclav Jezek Tournament in the Zlin region of the Czech Republic through Sept. 25.
BUNDY BRINGS NEW ENERGY: Interim head coach Kenny Bundy is closing a three-game stretch in nine days and his transition has brought new energy to a team that looks to build momentum in the final games of the regular season. “What he has given us is a lot of energy. Just how he is, how he interacts with people, how he is on the training field, he came in with new energy. This new sense of competition,” Dynamo defender Adam Lundkvist said on Friday. Bundy looks to capitalize on this confidence as the team navigates a two-game road trip prior to the regular season finale at PNC Stadium on Oct. 9. “One of the big pieces in my role over the next three games is to make sure that the guys believe in how good they are. That’s the main focus for this project. They believe in how good they can be, because I believe it,” Bundy said on Friday.
DYNAMO 2 WITHIN REACH OF DIVISION TITLE: With playoff berths confirmed in the Western Conference the four teams qualified for the postseason will look to secure the division and highest seed possible. Dynamo 2 can clinch the division with a victory on Sunday and a St. Louis CITY 2 loss to Sporting KC II. The team will face St. Louis or Tacoma in the conference semifinals of the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs the following weekend.
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