The Houston Dynamo take the field tonight against someone other than themselves for the first time in 2018, as they welcome UT-RGV in a closed-door preseason scrimmage at H-E-B Park.
With just over a week of training under their belts in preparation for March 3 and Atlanta United, tonight’s game action is about one thing that can’t be replicated in standard training sessions: intensity.
“The most intense practice is when you play games,” head coach Wilmer Cabrera said following Tuesday’s practice session. “That is going to give us some time for them individually and collectively. Everything is planned and organized to go little-by-little.”
The Dynamo are taking preseason one step at a time, first taking on a collegiate side before playing against their USL affiliate, the RGV FC Toros, on Saturday (TICKETS). In February, the team travels to Tucson, Arizona for friendlies against MLS sides before the season kicks off.
Players know that regardless of opponent, the focus will be on themselves and their own preparations for the new season. With opening day just a month away, every minute of every game situation must be of the highest quality.
“They will be intense, because we are getting back to our level,” midfielder Juan David Cabezas said. “Each 45-minute session this preseason we have to be at our best. Obviously, the intensity level will be high and we need to be physically and mentally prepared.”
