Oct 3, 2009 - 1:41 PM
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Kansas City (8-11-7) at Houston (12-8-7), 3:00 p.m. EDT
The Houston Dynamo finally ended their scoring woes in their last contest. They didn't even need Kei Kamara to do it.
With a chance to take the lead in the Western Conference, the Dynamo face a desperate Kansas City Wizards team and a driven former teammate Sunday.
Houston (12-8-7) returns from a week off trailing first-place Los Angeles by one point in the West with three games remaining. In their last contest, the Dynamo beat Real Salt Lake 3-2 on Sept. 19 to take the lead in the conference and end a scoring slump.
After being held to two goals in its previous four games, Houston scored as many in the first five minutes versus RSL and Brad Davis scored the game-winner in the 81st minute.
It was the seventh time in MLS history that two goals were scored by a team in the opening five minutes of a game. Davis assisted on a score by Brian Ching in the second minute and set up Geoff Cameron's goal three minutes later.
"My job is to just put the ball in there and give them a chance," said Davis, who has five goals and a team-high 10 assists on the season.
Davis is part of an offense that has found the back of the net 35 times this year. Kamara had five of those goals before being traded to Kansas City (8-11-7) for little-used forward Abe Thompson and cash Sept. 15.
Kamara had the game-winning header in the Dynamo's 1-0 road victory over the Wizards on July 4.
Kamara has not scored in two games for Kansas City, but he has taken four shots and has been active in the Wizards' attack. Kansas City is trying to keep its slim playoff hopes alive, so Kamara certainly has incentive enough to play hard, but he expects to have an extra edge against his old team.
"I have to be honest about the situation," Kamara said. "I was surprised I was getting traded. I didn't want to leave Houston - the position that we were in. I wanted to play with the team.
"For them to say that's what they wanted to do, that's saying they didn't want me on the team anymore. I was shocked, surprised, but I just have to let that go, look forward."
Kansas City will take all the motivation it can get. The Wizards may need to win their final four games and get some help to make the postseason.
A scoreless tie with Colorado last Saturday gave Kansas City a 3-1-1 record since losing its previous four.
Kevin Hartman had three saves against the Rapids for his seventh shutout of the year. He had four saves in July's contest with Houston, which put five of its nine shots on goal.
From the Bleachers
-
KANSAS CITY: 1
HOUSTON: 1
Final
Oct 4 4:58 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 1
HOUSTON: 1
End of Regulation
Oct 4 4:52 PM -
MLS UPDATE
KANSAS CITY 1
HOUSTON 1
KANSAS CITY GOAL: Zoltan Hercegfalvi in the 73rd minute
Oct 4 4:37 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 0
HOUSTON: 1
Halftime
Oct 4 3:52 PM -
MLS UPDATE
KANSAS CITY 0
HOUSTON 1 9:00 LEFT, 1ST HALF
Oct 4 3:41 PM -
MLS UPDATE
KANSAS CITY 0
HOUSTON 0
HOUSTON CAUTION: Brian Mullan for Dissent in the 17th minute
Oct 4 3:41 PM -
MLS UPDATE
KANSAS CITY 0
HOUSTON 1
HOUSTON GOAL: Luis Angel Landin in the 26th minute
Oct 4 3:32 PM
