Dynamo and Dynamo 2 host PNC Stadium doubleheader

Houston Dynamo and Houston Dynamo 2 host a doublheader at PNC Stadium tonight. Dynamo will take on Sporting Kansas City II at 4:30, followed by the Dynamo against Atletico San Luis of LigaMX in this year’s Charities Cup.

For charity

Tonight’s Dynamo vs Atletico San Luis match up is the 11th edition of the Dynamo Charities Cup, and the first since 2019. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Kids Meals Houston. Kids’ Meals is an organization that works to end childhood hunger in Houston by delivering free healthy meals, year-round to the doorsteps of Houston’s hungriest preschool-aged children and through collaboration provide their families with resources to end the cycle of poverty. Additional information about Kids’ Meals Houston is available here.

Since this match is a friendly, both teams will be allowed unlimited substitution. The match is also a “cup final” so there must be a winner. If the match is tied after 90 minutes there will not be extra time, the teams will go directly to penalty kicks. Atletico San Luis is the fifth team from Mexico that the Dynamo have faced in the Charities Cup.

Back in the swing of things

Paulo Nagamura’s men will be looking to get back to match fitness with tonight’s match. The Dynamo haven’t played a Major League Soccer match since May 28 and will return to league play next week on the road at Orlando City. Some first team players are still away on international duty so Nagamura will likely play a lot of players tonight.

The Dynamo head coach spoke to the media yesterday about how the team is approaching this match. “A lot of different challenges, when you look at Orlando, our next opponent, you can see a lot of similarities in Orlando with a lot of Latin players, a lot of South American players,” Nagamura said. “That’s one of the things that is great about this friendly match. They will give us a challenge similar to what we might see from Orlando next week. Two different leagues from the time that I played in LigaMX and now. I see both leagues as very, very competitive. The gap that was there maybe 10 years ago is way, way, way closer right now. I see a very competitive game tomorrow. It will be a great opportunity for those that will step on the field tomorrow.”

Dos looking to go back to the top

Houston Dynamo 2 lost their last match, 2-0 on the road at St. Louis City 2. Kenny Bundy’s squad will be looking to get back to their winning ways and back at the top of the Western Conference, which three points would do. Houston won at Sporting Kansas City II earlier this season, so they are looking to do a double over tonight’s visitors.

Bundy spoke with the media about playing a team for the second time and what goes into that. “I think it’s an interesting evolution of the league because now you start to see the different tactical changes, personnel changes that each team has made,” Bunday said. “And Kansas is a prime example of that. Benny’s (Feilhaber) done a great job of having a bit of a slow start figuring out their group and now they’ve come into some form. So, you use certain similarities and player profiles, but at the same time, you have to make sure and do everything you can as far as scouting them over their past couple games to get different tendencies and some improvements that they’ve made.”