HOUSTON (March 22, 2025) – Houston Dynamo 2 go return to action dis Sunday, March 23, as dem dey prepare to face North Texas SC after dem get one week break. Dis match go be di first of three clashes dis season and di first of two matches wey go happen for SaberCats Stadium.
Dynamo Dos don start dia fourth MLS NEXT Pro campaign under di leadership of head coach Marcelo Santos since March 8, wen dem win Sporting Kansas City II for SaberCats Stadium. Forward Andy Batioja na di player wey score di first goal of di season after im shot deflected off a SKC II defender. Midfielders Mattheo Dimareli and Sebastian Rodriguez also score for di match.
Dis victory na Santos’ first as Dynamo 2 head coach, and four players wey come from di Dynamo Academy make dia professional debuts: midfielder Noah Betancourt, defenders Miach Harris and Jayden Puna, plus forward Fadel Kone. Additionally, defender Felipe Andrade and goalkeeper Pedro Cruz, wey make seven saves, also debut for Dynamo 2 and MLS NEXT Pro.
Notably, Dynamo 2 start three 15-year-olds for di match: defender Daniel Barrett, midfielder Lukas Bruegmann, and Dimareli. Last season, dis trio combine for 29 appearances (17 starts) in MLSNP, and 11 other academy players also earn playing time. Players wey born in 2007, 2008, and 2009 record di highest minutes (6,828) in di league.
Three players from Dynamo Academy wey dey play for Dynamo 2 don get call-ups from dia national teams. Midfielder Lionel Gitau and Harris go join di U-17 U.S. Men’s National Team for training camp for Costa Rica, dey go face Costa Rica twice, while Puna go represent di U-17 Angola National Team for di AFCON U-17 World Cup Qualifiers.
Dynamo 2 captain and midfielder Diego Gonzalez don make im first team debut against di El Salvador National Team dis past Wednesday, alongside Andrade and Batioja. Gonzalez score im first goal for di first team wit a volley wey enter di top corner of di near post in di sixth minute.
North Texas SC dey come into dis Sunday match with a record of 1-1-0 (WLD), after dem lose 3-0 to St. Louis CITY2 for dia home opener and profit 3-2 victory in dia second game. Anthony Ramirez score one goal, while Sam Sarver score two goals.
As dem don do am for di past three seasons, both sides go meet three times dis year, with Dynamo 2 dey host two out of di three matches. Dos get better record for di all-time series against di FC Dallas affiliate, with four wins and three draws from nine meetings in regular season. For 2024, Houston and North Texas finish wit one win, one loss, and one draw each other, but last season, Dos get dia biggest win against North Texas, na 4-0 at home. Forward Gabe Segal score two goals, while Gonzalez assist three out of di four goals dem score.
Dynamo 2 go travel next to face Ventura County FC on Wednesday, March 26, for dia first away game of di year, wey kickoff dey set for 9:00 p.m. CT. Fans fit follow di action live on .
