HOUSTON, Texas – Coming off three consecutive losses for only the second time in club history, the Houston Dynamo are eager to turn things around. With the team on an MLS scheduling break for the World Cup, the Dynamo will have to vent some of their frustrations in their exhibition in Corpus Christi Thursday against the Laredo Heat.
“We want to win first off,” Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said. “Some guys that haven’t been playing will get some extended minutes and we have someone on trial and we will take a good look at him. It’s an exhibition game, some guys that haven’t been playing will get to play, but the expectation when we walk off the field is to win this game.”
Houston travel to Corpus Christi without Danny Cruz, Pat Onstad, Adrian Serioux, and Geoff Cameron. Cruz suffered a muscle pull against LA and out of an abundance of caution will not travel with the team. As a result, several younger players will have an opportunity for extended playing time against the Heat.
“Games like this you talk about Sammy [Appiah], Francisco [Navas Cobo], Joe [Ngwenya], Tally [Hal], they are going to get some extended time now,” Kinnear said. “We are looking forward to that and I am sure they are too.”
“It’s an opportunity for them to show the coaching staff and teammates that they can play at this level,” defender Mike Chabala said. “It’s a challenge as these guys are going to come in and try their best against us and if we take them lightly we will be in for a fight. It’s important for us whoever is playing to try and perform well as the one thing that made this club great is competition and competing for spots on the field.”
In addition to providing the less experienced players on the team additional playing time, the exhibition against Laredo will also provide the team the opportunity to begin to turn things around.
“You want the team to win, whether that’s in a small sided game at practice or against Laredo,” Richard Mulrooney said. “While the quality will be a little lower, we should set our standards high, practice like that so that [when league games resume and] we play Colorado we are ready for it.”
Dwain Capodice is a contributor to MLSsoccer.com. Questions or Comments can be sent via email to dwaincapodice@gmail.com.
