Can Boniek Garcia's return help Houston Dynamo emerge from offensive slump?

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While one international midfielder returned to training, another Houston Dynamo playmaker made an early departure from Tuesday's session.

Brad Davis exited the day’s session with what was termed as a hamstring injury. There was no immediate word on the severity of the issue or what his status is going forward.


The session, however, marked the return to full training of Honduran international Boniek Garcia. The right midfielder picked up a hamstring injury while on national team duty before Los Catrachos' World Cup Qualifier against Jamaica, a game in which he started and scored the opening goal before the injury forced him into an early substitution.


Despite making a 14-minute cameo against the USMNT back on June 18, the hamstring issue was still serious enough to keep him out of Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Toronto FC. But on Tuesday, the smiling Honduran was back on the field with his teammates taking part in the day’s activities.

“Much better,” Garcia replied through a translator when asked about his hamstring injury. “I could do the full work today and didn’t get bothered until the end, but thank God it’s looking good.”

“Boniek joined in [today] and fingers crossed he should be good to play [Sunday vs. the New York Red Bulls, 1 p.m. CT on ESPN2],” said head coach Dominic Kinnear.

If Garcia’s track to health continues he’ll return to a Dynamo team that has struggled to score goals over the last month and a half. Houston has managed just two goals in six MLS games in that span of time, including being shut out in matches against TFC and the Montreal Impact.

“It’s very difficult,” Garcia said when asked about being unable to play during a tough stretch for his club. “I’m desperate to get back out there at a time like this. The level’s dropped off a little bit, but in time we’ll get back to where we were before.”

Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.