The World Cup break is over, and DC United is back on the field for the first time in over six weeks tonight as they travel to Texas to take on the Houston Dynamo and head coach Ben Olsen. For the Black-and-Red, it’s a chance to start the second half of the season on a positive note by getting three points on the road.

The team is very much focused on the game in hand, but overall it’s an opportunity to start fresh with what feels like a new season. “It’s, for all teams, the same starting point. Of course you want to show some progress, some development,” head coach René Weiler said during media availability on Monday. “So, everybody wants to play a better second part [of the season] than the first part. But…I’m looking only for the next game. So, we want to start well on Wednesday to have this first good impression from this second part and all the rest we will see later.”

DC United has a couple of new additions to the squad, as Andre Dozzell officially joined the roster as well as Nathan Ordaz, who was acquired last week. Weiler said that Dozzell has been integrated into the squad, but it might take a little longer for Ordaz to work his way up to fitness. Still, with the exception of Jordan Farr and Conner Antley, everyone on the roster was deemed fit and available for selection for tonight by Weiler.

DC United captain Lucas Bartlett said that the team had been grinding since early June with practices and closed door scrimmages, and they’re excited to finally face another team. Still, they head to Houston which will have sweltering temperatures even with a 7:30pm local time kickoff. “We played two games leading into this, and I think both those games have been at 11:00am and 103 degrees,” Barlett said. So if that doesn’t get you ready for it, I don’t know what does…so, I’m excited for it. We’re ready for it.”

The Black-and-Red enter this match sitting in the 9th and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference. The Dynamo are in 7th place in the West with a couple matches in hand with some of the teams at the top of the table. DC United is back on the field, so tune in and watch.

DC United @ Houston Dynamo

Location: Shell Energy Stadium, Houston

Kickoff time: 8:30pm ET

Available streaming: Apple TV