With no MLS action this weekend for the Houston Dynamo, the team looked south and brought in USL affiliate RGV FC for a scrimmage at Houston Sports Park on Thursday morning.
RGV played their first match in franchise history last weekend in a 2-0 loss to the Tulsa Roughnecks, but like Dynamo have this weekend free of official competition. With both schedules coinciding, it gives the Dynamo technical staff a chance to assess both squads in the early part of the year.
“It gives us another opportunity to see the young players that we’ve sent down there continue to progress and improve, and it will be great to see [Toros head coach] Wilmer [Cabrera] and his staff,” Dynamo head coach Owen Coyle said. “It also gives me an opportunity for the ones that need a game to go and get a good, tough game because the Toros are a good side, with good players. It will be a real test for our group, and it keeps them ticking over because those players will be needed this season.”
While the core group of starters from the first four matches of the season will likely use the bye week to rest, the scrimmage allows Coyle to give game minutes to players that haven’t seen extended playing time since preseason, or those returning from injury.
“It will be a great opportunity for the Sheanon Williams’ the David Rocha’s, Agus, [Rob] Lovejoy, [Mauro] Manotas, [Zach] Steinberger, and I may give [Cristian] Maidana some minutes to build him up for Seattle, so that we can get a full game out of him. Bit by bit, it’s a great exercise.”
As the team prepares to have a full compliment of players to face the Seattle Sounders when they return to BBVA Compass Stadium on April 10 (2:45 p.m. CT; TICKETS), every extra bit of sharpness is welcome.
