MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Houston Dynamo FC Travel to Colorado Prior to Leagues Cup Debut

Published on July 14, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


HOUSTON - Houston Dynamo FC travel to Denver this weekend to face the Colorado Rapids for the first time this year. Saturday's match is the final regular season match prior to the start of Leagues Cup and the Dynamo host Club Santos Laguna at Shell Energy Stadium on July 25 in group play. Houston Dynamo 2 return to SaberCats Stadium on Sunday, July 16 to host North Texas SC.

WHO: Houston Dynamo FC at Colorado Rapids Houston Dynamo 2 vs. North Texas SC

WHEN: Saturday, July 15 - 8:30 p.m. CT

at Dick's Sporting Goods Park Sunday, July 16 - 6 p.m. CT

at SaberCats Stadium

STREAM/TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

English: Dre Cordero and Jamie Watson

Spanish: J. Laguna and Walter Roque MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

Eric Duick

RADIO: ENGLISH: ESPN 97.5 FM (Glenn Davis and Bobby Boswell)

SPANISH: TUDN Deportes Houston 93.3 FM (Daniel Mejia and Cesar Procel) -

PREVIEW SOUND: Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen

DYNAMO OPEN TWO-GAME ROAD TRIP IN COLORADO

Houston Dynamo FC travel to Colorado on Saturday to open a two-game road trip. The team will make their debut in the Leagues Cup the following week in Florida against Orlando City SC.

Houston will look to bounce back after closing a two-game homestand with a loss to Minnesota United FC. This was only the second loss at home for the Dynamo this season and the team now holds a 9-2-2 record at Shell Energy Stadium this year in all competitions. Wednesday's loss to Minnesota was also the first time the team was held scoreless at home since a 0-0 draw with Real Salt Lake on May 6.

Saturday's game will be the last match for both teams prior to the MLS All-Star Game on July 19 in Washington D.C. Héctor Herrera will depart following the game to represent the club at the exhibition vs. Arsenal and the Skills Challenge on July 18.

The Dynamo and Rapids played to a 1-1 draw in the first meeting of the 2022 season in March. Houston earned a point at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in their last visit to the venue following a 1-1 draw on Aug. 20. The team looks for their first win in Colorado since a 4-1 triumph on March 30, 2019.

The Rapids earned a point following a scoreless draw with the Portland Timbers on Wednesday. Colorado opened the three-game homestand with a 2-1 victory over FC Dallas on July 8. Saturday could feature the debut of Rafael Navarro, the Designated Player signed on Monday from Palmeiras in Brazil. The forward is the second player to join the Rapids during the summer transfer window after Colorado acquired defender Andrew Gutman in a trade with Atlanta United.

DYNAMO 2 BACK AT HOME TO HOST NORTH TEXAS SC

Houston Dynamo 2 returns to SaberCats Stadium for the first game of a two-game homestand. Houston enters the match looking to snap a four-game winless run after falling to Austin FC II on the road last Friday.

Dynamo 2 earned a shootout victory over North Texas SC earlier this year andth at sparked a four-game unbeaten streak for the team. Since the two teams first met last year, the Dynamo have outscored North Texas 11-8 and have four straight wins against the FC Dallas affiliate. Through the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season, North Texas has only tallied two road wins, entering Sunday's game with a 3-0 loss on the road against Tacoma. With the loss, North Texas has now lost four of their last six games.

Dynamo Dos is looking to get midfielder Diego Gonzalez back in scoring form. The Houston Dynamo Academy Product leads Dynamo 2 in scoring with six goals on the season. Gonzalez has scored the opening goal in two matches this year and the team is undefeated when the 20-year-old finds the back of the net.

North Texas is led by Hope Avayevu and José Mulato, who combine for seven goals this season. Mulato scored in the first meeting between the two teams this past May at Choctaw Stadium.

Following this match, two Dynamo 2 players will head to the nation's capital to partake in the MLS All-Star week festivities. Goalkeeper Xavier Valdez will be one of four MLS NEXT Pro goalkeepers to participate in Goalie Wars. Joining Valdez will be defender Tate Lampman who was named to the MLS NEXT All-Star Game.

Houston Dynamo 2 is back in action on Sunday, June 23 when they welcome Minnesota United 2 to the Bayou City. Kickoff for the match is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT at SaberCats Stadium.

Here are three key points ahead of both matches this weekend:

HECTOR HERRERA PREPARES FOR ALL-STAR GAME: Dynamo captain Héctor Herrera will represent the club at the MLS All-Star Game next week, a first for the organization since Alberth Elis represented Houston in 2018. The Mexican international will also join nine MLS players to compete against Arsenal FC in the Skills Challenge on Tuesday, July 18. This is the second time Herrera competes at the Skills Challenge and the second time he participates in the exhibition match. Herrera played in the 2019 edition for Atletico de Madrid. Dynamo fans can watch Herrera compete in the Skills Challenge and the All-Star Game on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The midfielder will join the team in Orlando prior to their debut in Leagues Cup on Friday, July 21.

DYNAMO MAKE FIRST MOVE OF SUMMER TRANSFER WINDOW: The Dynamo announced on Thursday that the club exercised the purchase option for FW Nelson Quiñónes after signing the Colombian to year-long loan from Once Caldas S.A. in July 2022. Quiñónes also signed a contract through the 2025 season plus a club option for 2026. The forward is the fifth player the club has signed for a seven-figure transfer fee since the arrival of Ted Segal as the majority owner of Houston Dynamo Football Club in June 2021. The 20-year-old will occupy one of the two U-22 Initiative Slots for the Dynamo, leaving one slot open for future use.

TALEN MAPLES RETURNS: Dynamo Dos entered the third and final matchup against Austin FC II without captain Talen Maples. The defender was forced to miss the match due to yellow card accumulation. Maples has anchored the Dynamo Dos backline for the entirety of the team's existence. The San Antonio native has made 36 career starts for Dynamo Dos. This only the second time this season that Maples missed a match, the other match that Maples missed was due to a short-term loan to appear in the Houston Dynamo FC's 4-0 win over Minnesota United in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on May 23.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 14, 2023


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