El Salvador’s Selecta Kicks Off New Era Against Houston Dynamo

HOUSTON, Texas — The El Salvador national soccer team, known as La Selecta, embarks on a new chapter under Colombian coach Hernán Darío ‘Bolillo’ Gómez, facing off against Houston Dynamo in a friendly match today at Shell Energy Stadium.

This matchup marks Gómez’s debut as head coach, and it comes during a challenging period for Houston, which is struggling at the bottom of the MLS Western Conference, having won just one of its last ten games.

La Selecta arrived in the United States on Monday afternoon but did not conduct a practice at the stadium, which is expected to host a robust crowd of Salvadoran supporters. The team will have to play without Styven Vásquez, who is sidelined by injury, and midfielder Enrico Dueñas, who will return to El Salvador ahead of the next match.

Despite these setbacks, El Salvador’s roster includes key players such as Mario González, Darwin Cerén, and Nathan Ordaz, who plays for Los Angeles FC.

During a pre-match press conference, Gómez emphasized the importance of this game, stating, ‘All matches, whether they’re club or national team games, will teach us something. We are in a stage where we need to assess our team and how they integrate with our style of play.’

The Dynamo are seeking to rebound after a dismal start to their season, where they have managed only a draw and a victory in their first four games. Gómez highlighted the necessity of taking advantage of each opportunity, mentioning, ‘We’re working toward qualifying for the World Cup, and it’s crucial that we build confidence and refine our tactics during these matches.’

Projected lineups for each team are as follows:

Houston Dynamo: 01 Jimmy Maurer, 02 Franco Escobar, 04 Ethan Bartlow, 24 Obafemi Awodesu, 20 Nicolás Lodeiro, 08 Amine Bassi, 06 Artur, 27 Sebastian Kowalczyk, 25 Griffin Dorsey, 30 Júnior Urso, 10 Ezequiel Ponce.

El Salvador: 18 Tomás Romero, 02 Julio Sibrián, 21 Bryan Tamacas, 05 Henry Romero, 04 Jorge Cruz, 08 Narciso Orellana, 07 Darwin Cerén, 17 Jairo Henríquez, 12 Leonardo Menjívar, 11 Nathan Ordaz, 20 Rafael Tejada.

The kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Salvadoran time and will be broadcasted on Canal 4 and Aloud Sports.

Following this match, Las Selecta will also face Pachuca from Mexico on Saturday as part of their preparations ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and upcoming qualifiers against Anguilla and Surinam.