Club ready to explore options for offense
Shortly after last Saturday’s match against D.C. United began, Dynamo forward Alberth Elis was lying on the grass after a head-tohead collision with D.C. United defender Steven Birnbaum.
Elis left the game in the 10th minute, replaced by Memo Rodriguez, who scored the first of back-toback goals that elevated the Dynamo past D.C. 2-1.
The contest put the Dynamo’s resilience on display. But more than that, it provided a preview for what this team could look like without one of its brightest stars, who’s name had been linked to a move to European clubs from Scotland to Turkey prior to this MLS season.
A 2018 MLS All-Star, Elis, 23, has been involved in much of the Dynamo’s scoring this season. In 10 MLS starts, he has four goals plus a team-high six assists.
But he’ll be on the sidelines with a concussion for the Dynamo’s next match at Minnesota United (5-4-3, 18 points) at the new Allianz Field on Saturday.
“The team is ready to score goals,” midfielder Boniek Garcia said. “Romell (Quioto) is finding his rhythm and Memo (Rodriguez) has done a great job this season. For this game, we won’t have Elis and it will be up to Romell to step into that role. We know what Elis brings to the team but I believe we will still succeed on Saturday.”
Quioto and Rodriguez led the team in shots (four) last Saturday, but the former continues to work back into form as he rebounds from a knee injury.
Fortunately for coach Wilmer Cabrera, the emergence of Rodriquez has created another attacking option up front this season — helping the coach ease Quioto back into action. But without Elis, he’ll be expected to create and convert opportunities.
“We know that Minnesota is a good team, especially at home,” Quioto said. “They will want to remain unbeaten (at home) and play their style of soccer.
“I feel good and happy to be back on the field. I want more minutes and that’s why I’m here — to play. I want to do my part to help the team succeed.”
As women’s soccer clubs have lost players to this summer’s World Cup in France, MLS teams will soon start to grapple with other competitions as well. The U.S. Open Cup — of which the Dynamo are the defending champions — is set for the start of its third round. MLS teams join the competition in the fourth round, which begins around the middle of June. The 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup begins a few days later.
“We know how important it is to earn every point possible,” Quioto said. “We have the Gold Cup and other
commitments around the corner and we want the team to be in the best position possible so we don’t have to stress towards the end of the season.”
The Dynamo (7-2-2, 23 points) are third in the Western Conference, ahead of fifth-place Minnesota. But a win is no guarantee for a Dynamo team that’s experienced notable struggles on the road while facing a team that has yet to lose at home this MLS season.
“They are a good team and the difference will be who maintains the possession of the ball,” Garcia said. “We hope to control the pace of the game and just play our game. We know that we have to play at our best to win away from home and return with three points.”