Houston is trying to return to normal and the Dynamo are returning to Houston. After a two-and-a-half-week layoff, the Houston Dynamo are back at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday with a match against Colorado, with proceeds going to Hurricane Harvey relief.
The Dynamo will have a number of promotions to support Houston’s rebuilding process.
Orlando City midfielder Will Johnson was suspended by MLS Wednesday following his arrest on domestic battery charges stemming from an incident early Tuesday morning at the player's home.
The United States came into this international break hoping to get at least four points, maybe all six from two matches against Costa Rica and Honduras in World Cup qualifying. You wouldn’t blame the Americans for their confidence, coming into the break with a 14-match unbeaten streak. That confidence is in tatters now thanks to some USMNT defensive struggles, which proved to be contagious for the rest of the team.
Booby Wood, on as a 73rd minute substitute for Darlington Nagbe, salvaged a point for the USMNT against Honduras by scoring his nation’s lone goal in the 85th minute. It took a superbly struck Kellyn Acosta free kick to trouble the staunch Honduran defense, and Wood was on hand to keep the U.S. in the automatic qualifying places — at least for now.
A Panama victory over Trinidad and Tobago later tonight would see the U.S. drop to fourth in the Hex, the spot that necessitates a dreaded inter-confederation playoff with Asia to determine who advances to Russia.
The United States hadn’t lost in 14 matches since November. Then Costa Rica put a New Jersey beat down on the Yanks at Red Bull Arena, winning 2-0 in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying on Friday evening.
Costa Rica pressed, harassed and fought its way to a deserved win that all but assures Los Ticos a spot in next summer’s World Cup. The USMNT played like they did when they got Jurgen Klinsmann fired in November.
The Colorado Rapids played five matches in the month of August, losing three, drawing two and getting outscored 9-4 in the process. The most devastating defeat took place on August 26 during MLS’s Rivalry Week. The Rapids traveled to Utah to play Real Salt Lake and got rocked, 4-1.
With 22 points from 25 matches, Colorado are the worst club in all of MLS, and the club’s horrid August was mirrored in their voting for the HealthONE Player of the Month award.
There was no soccer this week at BBVA Compass Stadium, home to the Dynamo of MLS and Dash of NWSL. There were more important things to worry about in the United State’s fourth-largest city, inundated with up to four feet of water from Hurricane Harvey.
Instead of hosting Sporting KC on Saturday and the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, BBVA became a collection site for Harvey relief donations, an orange beacon to the ravaged city.
With four match days left in the final CONCACAF World Cup qualifying round, Mexico and the United States are on the brink of ensuring their inclusion in Russia next summer. Both could start booking accommodations by Tuesday if things fall their way.
Mexico leads the group with 14 points and it would take a massive collapse for El Tri to fail to qualify. The U.S., in third with eight points, three back of Costa Rica and one ahead of Panama. The top three automatically qualify for the World Cup while the fourth-place team must play an Asian country in a playoff to reach Russia.
It’s been nearly five months since Tobin Heath has been in action for club or country, a fact that's put a dark cloud over the women’s soccer community. The crafty midfielder is a fan favorite and has been an obvious selection for the U.S. and Portland Thorns when available. In recent months, Heath has been sidelined with a back sprain and was placed on the 45-day disabled list. Her injury has seen her miss all of the NWSL season as well as a handful of national team games.
Major League Soccer may be a retirement home for some, but David Villa affirmed last week you can still factor into one of the best national teams in the world while plying your trade in MLS.
So why can’t Sebastian Giovinco get a recall from Italy?
Villa earned a spot on the Spanish roster for the two upcoming World Cup qualifiers after starting the season with 19 league goals for New York City FC. These aren’t throw-away qualifiers either; Spain faces Italy for first place in UEFA Group G on Saturday.