Wilmer Cabrera not concerned with Dynamo's preseason setback

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While the performance and the manner of the result looked ugly, the fallout from the Dynamo's preseason game Wednesday will be anything but.

According to coach Wilmer Cabrera the devil was in the details.

Houston scored twice in the first half but conceded that many in the second half and settled for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls' reserve squad in the third preseason game at the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Ariz.

The game featured teams at different stages of the preseason. The Dynamo are building up fitness and used Wednesday's game as an opportunity for some players to play extended minutes for the first time.

The Red Bulls, on the other hand, mostly used players who will play for their USL team this season. Their season does not begin for several weeks so they subbed almost the entire team at halftime in an effort to get as many of the players playing time as possible.

They had fresh legs when the Dynamo were getting tired.

New York's goals came in the 65th and 72nd minutes, nearly simultaneously with the Dynamo starters ending their days.

October 8 2016: Colorado Rapids midfielder Jared Watts (33) tries to stop Houston Dynamo forward Mauro Manotas (19) from advancing the ball during the MSL match between the Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Leslie Plaza Johnson/Chronicle) less October 8 2016: Colorado Rapids midfielder Jared Watts (33) tries to stop Houston Dynamo forward Mauro Manotas (19) from advancing the ball during the MSL match between the Colorado Rapids and Houston Dynamo at ... more Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson, For The Chronicle Photo: Leslie Plaza Johnson, For The Chronicle Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Wilmer Cabrera not concerned with Dynamo's preseason setback 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

"We made some mistakes in the second half," Cabrera said. "That is part of the heavy legs. It was hot today and sunny. The guys carry on a lot of volume. When you have heavy legs you are trying to do things that you normally don't do. It is a normal issue. There is nothing to worry about."

The first goal the Dynamo conceded came on a lazy back pass from defender Agus. He had the ball near the left side of the penalty area and was pressured by a forward. Instead of kicking it out of bounds, he passed to goalkeeper Tyler Deric.

Deric did not get to it before New York's Omir Fernandez and was out of the goal long enough for Fernandez to dribble in for an easy finish.

"It is true, we are not used to playing 90-minute games (and) today we did," Agus said. "Preseason is the time to fuel ourselves up and be ready for the first game. The team is little by little getting in the rhythm of things, finding the way (and) this is what these games are for, to find the way."

Wednesday's result was enough for the Dynamo to clinch a berth in the tournament's championship game. They will face the Colorado Rapids at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Cabrera said the field players who did not dress Wednesday will get extended minutes on Saturday. The lineup is likely to include forwards Alberth Elis, Romell Quioto, Erick Torres; midfielders Juan David Cabezas, Ricardo Clark and Alex and defenders A.J. DeLaGarza, Adolfo Machado and Leonardo.

At this point, those players appear to be Cabrera's favorites to start the regular season opener on March 4, which comes exactly one week after Saturday's preseason finale.

"We are returning to the point where our players are going to be ready and recovered to be prepared for the first game, which is the most important," Cabrera said. "This is preseason. We are not too excited when we win. We are not too down if we lose. It is going to be fine."