If the Houston Dynamo are going to end another multiple game winless streak, they are going to have to do it without some of their top players.
Long gone is the good feeling from back-to-back wins against Colorado and Chicago as the team lost a 2-1 match in San Jose before salvaging Wednesday's 2-2 tie at FC Dallas with another last-minute miracle.
Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad are with the Canadian national team in Seattle as the team prepares to take on Brazil, a side that De Rosario looks forward to playing because "they are among the best in the world, if not the best in the world."
Tony Caig, who played earlier this year when Onstad was out with a shoulder injury, will get the call as the Dynamo take on the New York Red Bulls on Saturday evening in the team's only meeting in the Bayou City this season.
Kyle Brown, too, will get more playing time with De Rosario called up.
Eddie Robinson will miss another match due to suspension after receiving two yellow cards in the Dallas match -- the fourth game this year when Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear has lost one of his best defenders because of suspension.
Team captain and left back Wade Barrett practiced some this week, but is still doubtful for Saturday's match. He is listed as day-to-day with a left adductor strain.
In four all-time meetings, the Red Bulls and Dynamo have split the series. Each team has won in its own stadium, but the Dynamo have outscored the Red Bulls 6-3, with five of the goals coming at Robertson.
With so many players missing, Kinnear is going to have to rely on guys like Brown and his ability to play a little differently, to get the team on the scoreboard.
"I think we really need him in there, his pace of the games, are really needed," Kinnear said. "I think he has played really well, for the most part, he gets behind the defense.
"He's got good energy, the athleticism is there. Sometimes you just need a little bit of energy off the bench and he really provides that for us."
In three games this year, Brown has two starts and three shots on goal. The Dynamo picked him up during a series of trades from Real Salt Lake. Brown, who scored one of his two goals last year against Houston, is looking forward to getting more playing time as the schedule starts to pick up starting Saturday against New York.
"I have been waiting to get some playing time all year and now I am ready to get more," Brown said. "We've got a few guys called up, and with injuries and with the two games this week, everyone is going to have to be ready to contribute and do what they can to help us get as many points as possible."
The Dynamo can only hope the series of injuries, call-ups and suspensions do not cost them in what will be only their third home match of the season so far. If players like Brown, Caig and Craig Waibel find their respective games Saturday, things will look a lot better going forward for the two-time defending champions.
Andrew J. Ferraro is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
