3160ym191150040648048677384">After a two-week hiatus in the MLS regular season, the Houston Dynamo are back in action as they visit Minnesota United FC on Wednesday night (7 p.m. CT | KUBE 57). It will be the Dynamo’s first-ever match in the state of Minnesota, a trip they aim to return from with their first road win of the season.
The Dynamo currently sit third in the Western Conference – four points behind first place Sporting Kansas City with one game in hand – and will look to build on their last game before the break, a 3-1 win over the Montreal Impact. Minnesota United, on the other hand, are going through a rough spell as they’ve only mustered one win in their last six MLS matches.
3160ym191150040648048677394">“They are very important games for us because they are after a break, for everyone not only us, Minnesota United FC, D.C. United and all the other 22 teams in MLS,” said Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera. “We all are preparing ourselves to be sure that in the second part of the season can give us the possibility to be in the playoffs.”
3160ym191150040648048677399">The match will be the first of two consecutive road games in the span of four days as the Dynamo face D.C. United on Saturday. Cabrera expressed that his team needs to be ready for the games ahead, what he dubbed the “toughest part of the season.”
3160ym191150040648048677404">A total of seven players will not feature in this encounter due to their participation in the Gold Cup quarter-finals taking place Wednesday and Thursday: the Dynamo’s Erick Torres (Mexico), Alberth Elis, Boniek García and Romell Quioto (Honduras), and Minnesota’s Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica), Francisco Calvo and Johan Vanegas (Costa Rica).
3160ym191150040648048677409">“We are not going to be making excuses about not having the four guys. We are just going to go and we will work in here. We are preparing ourselves to face the teams that we have to face with a mentality to play even and try to get the best result possible,” added Cabrera.
Mauro Manotas – third on the club’s goalscoring chart – is expected to lead the attack for the Dynamo with the help of top assist man Alex. With most of the defense and midfield intact, Cabrera will need players such as Memo Rodriguez, Vicente Sánchez and Andrew Wenger to step up in the attack.
3160ym191150040648048677419">The Loons, on the other hand, are not so lucky as they’ve been hit with the injury bug – sidelining seven additional players for Wednesday’s game. They will, however, have the services of Christian Ramirez, who is tied for fifth in the MLS Golden Boot race with 10 goals this season.
