August 20, 2012
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| Houston travels to El Salvador to face 17 time champions C.D. FAS (Photo: eclip-C) |
Last week, Olimpia kicked off group three action with a 3-0 win over FAS. With only the group leader going through to the knockout stage of the competition, Houston will need to keep pace with Olimpia.
Weaver, Deric Success Could Translate to CCL
After seeing the highlights from the latest Dynamo Reserves games, I can't help but think long forgotten forward Cam Weaver may have some value for Houston. After the Dynamo switched to a 4-3-3 and Mac Kandji and Calen Carr have claimed the starting forward positions wide of Will Bruin, Weaver appeared to be expendable.Before thinking we should finally part ways with the normally unproductive striker, take a look at his performance in the MLS Reserve League this season. Weaver scored both goals Tuesday morning as the Dynamo Reserves beat Sporting Kansas City 2-0. Weaver now has six goals in seven games, starting all contests for Houston.
In addition to Weaver leading the reserve team in offense, goalkeeper Tyler Deric continues to impress in goal. Houston defense has only given up five goals through the first seven games, giving Deric an impressing 0.71 GAA.
Houston currently sits in first place in the Central/Mountain Division with 16 points (5-1-1).
Depth Will Tell the Story
With Houston adding Ricardo Clark recently, the Dynamo midfield instantly got stronger. Clark saw his return to action last week against New York, played 80 minutes in the reserve match, and made his home debut on Sunday against the Crew. He was starting in Norway prior to making his Houston return, so there is no waiting period for him to be match fit. With Adam Moffat claiming the starting role for now, Clark could be instrumental in a CCL run. In his first stint with the Dynamo, Rico played in seven CCL games and his experience will help his teammates.
Midfielder Nathan Sturgis should also see some time on the field in El Salvador and Honduras. While the Dynamo defense and midfield starters are secure, Sturgis was in Seattle's starting eleven just two years ago. His expereince could prove vital as he saw action in five CCL games, as Seattle competed with powerhouses like Saprissa of Costa Rica and Monterrey of Mexico.
It will be interesting to see which players Dominic Kinnear takes with him for the first leg of the home and home series. Colin Clark and Luiz Camargo were starters at the beginning of the season, but has seen their playing time decrease with the shift to a 4-3-3 and should be good options of experience for the men in orange.
Those players combined with the younger players like Kofi Sarkodie, Alex Dixon, and Brian Ownby could turn out to be a winning combination.
Midfielder Nathan Sturgis should also see some time on the field in El Salvador and Honduras. While the Dynamo defense and midfield starters are secure, Sturgis was in Seattle's starting eleven just two years ago. His expereince could prove vital as he saw action in five CCL games, as Seattle competed with powerhouses like Saprissa of Costa Rica and Monterrey of Mexico.
It will be interesting to see which players Dominic Kinnear takes with him for the first leg of the home and home series. Colin Clark and Luiz Camargo were starters at the beginning of the season, but has seen their playing time decrease with the shift to a 4-3-3 and should be good options of experience for the men in orange.
Those players combined with the younger players like Kofi Sarkodie, Alex Dixon, and Brian Ownby could turn out to be a winning combination.
Take Advantage of Midseason Form
The Dynamo could also benefit from being in midseason form. FAS is only three games into the Salvadoran season, posting a 1-1-1 record. They last game was played on 8/18 and was a 0-0 draw with Aguila.Follow me on Twitter @OrangeFanBlog
