NEED TO KNOW:
Houston return from international break and begin two-game road trip on Tuesday
Dynamo to play both games this week without five players on national team duty
Dynamo return to BBVA Stadium on July 31 to host Real Salt Lake
HOUSTON – Houston Dynamo FC return to league play on Tuesday when they visit the Vancouver Whitecaps at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Defenders Dorsey Griffin and Teenage Hadebe will be eligible on Tuesday after joining the Dynamo prior to the transfer window. Houston will travel to Utah without five players currently with their national team at the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup. Darwin Ceren, Maynor Figueroa, Boniek Garcia, Ari Lassiter and Tyler Pasher will represent their national team later this weekend in the beginning of the tournament knockout round.
Houston will look to bounce back after falling 2-0 to Seattle Sounders FC on July 7. The Sounders snapped a four-game unbeaten run for the Dynamo who enter Tuesday’s game in search of their first victory away from home. Tuesday’s game is also the first of two road games this weekend as Houston travel to Northern California this weekend.
Vancouver will host the Dynamo in what is expected to be the final home match at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Whitecaps will be the third and final team to return to Canada after MLS announced the Toronto FC and Club de Foot Montreal would return to Canada earlier this week. The Whitecaps look to build on their 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday in Utah. A second half push from Deiber Caicedo and Cristian Dajome gave the Whitecaps their third victory of the season and first since a May 8 triumph over Montreal.
The Dynamo look to sweep the series after winning the first meeting of the regular season 2-1 at BBVA Stadium. Memo Rodriguez and Maxi Urruti found the back of the net in Houston’s third victory of the season.
WHO: Houston Dynamo FC at Vancouver Whitecaps FC
WHEN: Tuesday, July 20 – 8:00 p.m. CT
TV: QuestTexas ch. 55
Glenn Davis and Eddie Robinson
TeleXitos ch. 47.2
Alex Parra and Daniela Rodriguez
RADIO: Spanish: TUDN Radio Houston 1010 AM
Daniel Mejia and Lester Gretsch
Here are three key points ahead of Tuesday’s game:
- HOUSTON WELCOMES NEW FACES: Dynamo defenders Teenage Hadebe and Griffin Dorsey will be eligible on Tuesday and both players would make their debut if they enter the game. Hadebe joined the Dynamo for his first official training session on July 2 after a five-day quarantine period due to international travel. The Zimbabwe international will play his first competitive game since May 15 when Yeni Malatyaspor closed the season against Galatasaray. Dorsey is a familiar face for the technical staff who invited the defender to Houston in May after he was waived by Toronto FC. Dorsey also previously played under Dynamo head coach Tab Ramos with the U-20 U.S. Men’s National Team.
- FIVE DYNAMO PLAYERS REMAIN ON NATIONAL TEAM DUTY: All five Dynamo players currently on international duty at the 2021 Gold Cup advanced to the quarterfinals this weekend and will miss Houston’s two-game stretch against Vancouver and San Jose. Tyler Pasher and Canada finished second in Group B and will travel to Arlington to join Ari Lassiter and Costa Rica at AT&T Stadium. Darwin Ceren and El Salvador will join Boniek Garcia, Maynor Figueroa and Honduras in Arizona for the second quarterfinal doubleheader on July 25.
- VANCOUVER BOUNCES BACK: The Whitecaps look to end their run at Rio Tinto Stadium with back-to-back victories after defeating the LA Galaxy 2-1 on Saturday. Vancouver has faced a challenging start to the season with the worst goal difference in the conference and tied for the most goals allowed with 23. Defensively, the Whitecaps will look to Ranko Veselinovic to limit Maxi Urruti, Fafa Picault and Memo Rodriguez. Offensively, Cristian Dajome leads the team with five goals and scored the game-winner against the Galaxy.
