Dynamo midfielder Boniek García and forward Erick Torres have been called up for international matches beginning March 25, the team announced today. García will join Honduras for a pair of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying matches against El Salvador March 25 and 29. Torres will join Mexico’s Under-23 national team for a pair of friendly matches next weekend in Portugal.
García and Torres will join their respective national teams following the Dynamo’s road game at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday (6 p.m. CT; ROOT Sports Alternate Channel). Both players will miss the following Dynamo road game at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on March 26.
Honduras faces El Salvador in a home-and-home series starting Friday, March 25 at Estadio Cuscatlan in San Salvador. Los Catrachos host El Salvador on Tuesday, March 29 at Estadio Olímpico in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
With zero points after two games in Group 1, Honduras needs positive results against El Salvador to remain in contention for the 2018 World Cup. After two of six games played this round, Mexico (6 points), Canada (4 points) and El Salvador (1 point) lead Honduras in Group 1, with the top two teams advancing to the final round of qualifying. García has 105 caps for Honduras.
Torres and the Mexico U-23s will face Japan’s U-23s in Rio Maior, Portugal on Friday, March 25 before meeting Portugal’s U-23 squad in Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal on Monday, March 28.
Last October, Torres was named to the Best XI team at the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship by the Technical Study Group after scoring three goals. Mexico won its second consecutive U-23 championship to qualify for 2016 Rio Olympics. Mexico will defend the Olympic gold medal it won at the London 2012 Games this August in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
