Three Dynamo players staying busy during March international window

The Houston Dynamo, and most Major League Soccer teams will have a break during the current FIFA window. League play resumes for the Dynamo on April 2^nd when the team plays away against Inter Miami. However, a few of the players in Orange will be participating in important matches with their national team squads during this international window.

Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla

Coco seems to finally be fit enough to play 90 minutes for the Dynamo. He earned Houston’s player of the match against the Colorado Rapids, where he was vital in helping the team salvage a point at home. The midfield maestro will now attempt to help Panama make it to two straight FIFA World Cups, as Los Canaleros will try to punch a ticket to Qatar in the final round of matches.

Panama will host Honduras during Matchday 12 on Thursday, March 24^th. Coco and the Panamanian national team will travel to Orlando as they will face off against Team USA on Sunday, March 27^th for Matchday 13. And finally, Matchday 14 will close the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification stage for CONCACAF as Panama will host Canada on Wednesday, March 30^th.

Panama is currently sitting in fourth place of the Octagonal. The top 3 teams in the final standings qualify directly to Qatar, while the fourth-place team will play an inter-confederation play-off against the Oceania Football Confederation Final winner.

Darwin Ceren

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Ceren and the Salvadorian national team, like Coco and Panama, are still fighting for a chance to make the FIFA World Cup in November (still weird to write). Darwin and La Selecta have a much tougher route as they can only finish as high as the fourth-place team in the Octagonal final standings. Finishing fourth would mean La Selecta win all their final 3 matches and for the teams currently placed in the top four spots to have a few losses as well. No easy task, but there is still a chance.

El Salvador will travel to Kingston as they will face off against Jamaica during Matchday 12 on Thursday, March 24^th. La Selecta will then host Costa Rica on Sunday, March 27^th for Matchday 13. Ceren and La Selecta will close the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification stage for CONCACAF playing in Estadio Azteca against Mexico on Wednesday, March 30^th during Matchday 14.

El Salvador is currently sitting in sixth place of the Octagonal. Like mentioned before, the Salvadorian national team can only place as high as fourth place which, again, would give them a play-off against the Oceania Football Confederation Final winner.

Sebastian Ferreira

Sebastian has yet to find the back of the net in 2022 for the Houston Dynamo. He was very close in the last match against the Rapids when he found himself open in the box, only for the ball to him in the back after he missed it with his head. Long story short, no one needs this international break more than Ferreira. The “most expensive transfer in club history” is starting to get in his own head and the longer Sebas continues without a goal in the MLS season, the more pressure he will face.

Unllike Coco and Ceren, Sebastian Ferreira and the Paraguayan national team have been eliminated from making the 2022 FIFA World Cup. La Albirroja will host Ecuador during Matchday 17 on Thursday, March 24^th. Ferreira and Paraguay will close the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification stage for CONMEBOL playing in Estadio Nacional against Peru on Tuesday, March 29^th during Matchday 18.

Sebas will be looking to earn his first senior level national cap with the Paraguayan national team. This national callup should help Sebas release some pent-up stress and frustration that has been building up during recent MLS regular season matches with the Dynamo. Getting his first senior cap will give him a boost of confidence during this international break and before returning to the Dynamo.