Road continues to bring team to its knees
Road games have been a consistent struggle for the Dynamo this season.
Seven of their eight losses this season have been on the road. The eighth came Friday against Los Angeles FC at BBVA Stadium, putting an end to the team’s undefeated streak at home.
The Dynamo (8-8-3, 27 points and eighth in the Western Confernce) are about to embark on a twogame road trip that could be costly if their luck away remains the same. They play at Atlanta United FC on Wednesday and at Toronto FC on Saturday.
“At home, you take more risks. When you go away, you say, ‘OK, let’s be more solid,’ and you take less risks,” Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “We have to be able to, when we have chances, to take the risks and to put the ball away.”
One challenge in facing Atlanta (9-8-3, 30 points), which has a six-game home winning streak, will be tuning out the 50,000-60,000 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Cabrera said. It’s more than triple what they’re used to at BBVA.
“If we can manage that, we’re going to be able to display our game,” Cabrera said.
Midfielder Darwin Ceren says the road issues are a mental issue.
Ceren and Cabrera both brought up the importance of having a strong mental approach throughout the full 90 minutes, not just the first 45. It’s been a trend this season: having a good first half, followed by a tough second half. It’s what ultimately cost them the game Friday in a 3-1 loss to Los Angeles FC.
“We have to (be) mentally strong because nobody can help us,” Ceren said. “Mentally, we have to change something because it’s not possible to play that way.”
Atlanta, like the Dynamo, hasn’t had much luck on the road but has only lost once in 10 games at home.
Either way it goes, whether it be the Dynamo’s bad luck on the road or Atlanta’s home advantage, one streak will be broken.