SEATTLE – On the edge of any serious consideration during the previous two World Cup cycles, Dynamo captain Brad Davis is taking nothing for granted as the U.S. national team prepares for Tuesday night's qualifier against Panama.
The veteran midfielder with a sniper's accuracy from the left side treats every day with the U.
The Dynamo will host an open tryout for aspiring players on Saturday, September 21 at Houston Amateur Sports Park.
The "Dynamo Trials" are open to soccer players 18 years of age and older.
This is the eighth consecutive year in which the tryouts have been held. More than 200 players participated last year.
There was perhaps more talent on the Reliant Stadium pitch than any match in Houston history.
And it was perhaps the best player in Mexican history who stole the show.
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, who turns 25 on Saturday, scored twice including the game-tying shot in the 71st minute as Mexico and Nigeria tied 2-2 in a beautifully played match Friday night in front of 62,107 fans.
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Mexican superstar Chicharito scored his second goal of the night to tie it up at 2-2 in the 71
He tapped in a ball past Nigerian keeper Austin Ejide off a feed from Carlos Salcido.
Mexico has been down a man since the 29th minute.
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It's been an action-packed first 45 minutes here at Reliant Stadium in the international friendly between evenly matched Mexico and Nigeria.
Nigeria has a 2-1 lead on a penalty kick and a score on a deflected shot.
Mexican superstar Chicharito opened the match's scoring with a goal in the 21st minute.
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Nigeria took a 2-1 lead in the 40th minute.
John Ogochukwu's shot deflected off Diego Reyes and went by Mexican keeper Jesus Corona.
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Nigeria evened the match at 1-1 with a penalty kick score from Aide Brown Ideye.
Brown Ideye was given the penalty kick after a red card was called on Mexican standout Pablo Barrera.
Barrera handed the ball in the box in the 27th minute.
Barrera assisted on El Chicharito's goal that opened the scoring and has played exceptionally well at right wing.
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Mexico took a 1-0 lead on a goal from superstar El Chicharito in the 21st minute.
Pablo Barrera fired a cross in front of the net, and El Chicharito booted the pass with his right foot in front of Nigerian keeper Austin Ejide.
Mexico has dominated possession here at Reliant in the early going, but finally was able to put one in.
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In a flurry, Mexico had a beautiful header stopped and got a break when a Nigeria goal was wiped out by an offsides call.
In just a couple minutes, a beautiful header by Aldo De Nigris was stopped by an even better play by Nigerian keeper Austin Ejide.
Not even a minute later, Nigeria's Aide Brown Ideye put the ball in the net.
It's been an interesting early couple minutes for Mexican star El Chicharito.
He got in an early minor scuffle with Nigerian goaltender Austin Ejide in the early seconds of the friendly.
In the 10th minute, he took a shot that hit the crossbar and nearly went in.
Still, 0-0 in the 15th minute, and Mexico has dominant possession so far.
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The national anthems are over and we are almost underway here for the international friendly between Mexico and Nigeria at Reliant Stadium.
The Friday night crowd hasn't filled in yet, but there were 60,000 tickets sold.
One day after Jason Castro hit two home runs, Bo Porter gave his starting catcher a break from behind the plate by starting him as the Astros' designated hitter Sunday. Carlos Corporan started behind the plate against the A's.
"One of the huge advantages of being an American League team is the fact that you can move the DH around and you can keep guys in the lineup that you want to keep their bat in the lineup," Porter said.
Dynamo center back Jermaine Taylor, one of the team's most important players over the last two years, suffered a left shoulder injury in the eighth minute Saturday night against the New England Revolution.
Taylor suffered the injury after colliding with New England forward Dimitry Imbongo on a clean 50-50 challenge.
Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis and goalkeeper Tally Hall were named to the U.S. men's national team roster by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for upcoming World Cup qualifiers, U.S. Soccer announced today.
Davis will join the national team camp in Cleveland, Ohio on May 27 following Houston's game at Sporting Kansas City on May 26 and be with the team for its friendly against Belgium on May 29.
