The Houston Dynamo confirmed on Wednesday they will face English Premier League side Aston Villa in the sixth annual BBVA Compass Dynamo Charities Cup.
The game, which will take place July 26 at BBVA Compass Stadium, may feature USMNT goalkeeper Brad Guzan (above), who is likely to go to the World Cup this summer, as well as other Villa stars like Gabriel Agbonlahor, Andreas Weimann, and Leandro Bacuna.
“We are extremely pleased to be hosting Aston Villa and honored to have them here for the Dynamo Charities Cup,” said Dynamo president Chris Canetti in a statement. “They are a club with a great history and storied tradition from one of the greatest soccer leagues in the world. It will be an exciting night for our club and fans.”
“I think Aston Villa is a great team with a great history and a huge club in England,” said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear, also in a statement. “They’ve done ever so well over the years and I think it shows that we’re doing our best every year to bring top-quality teams to Houston for the Charities Cup. I think it is a fantastic opportunity for the players.
"They will be in preseason, but for us to line up against guys like Agbonlahor and Guzan, it is a good team. I think when you get to play against some good, quality players it tests you a little bit and I think it motivates you.”
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The BBVA Compass Dynamo Charities Cup is an annual match between the Dynamo and a prominent international opponent. Previous Dynamo Charities Cup opponents include Stoke City FC (England), Valencia CF (Spain), Bolton Wanderers (England), Club Deportivo Águila (El Salvador) and CF Monterrey (Mexico). The Dynamo are 3-2-0 all-time in Charities Cup play.
“Our previous US tours have been exciting and hugely positive experiences for the Club and I’m sure we will work hard to ensure we achieve further development into a country in which the game is increasingly taking root,” Villa CEO Paul Faulkner said in a statement. “Commercially, we are always looking to grow the club while remaining true to the values we espouse as Villa people."
