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Dynamo-Fire Preview

Jun 4, 2009 - 9:48 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Houston (5-2-3) at Chicago (5-1-6), 9:00 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Fire's unbeaten streak was finally snapped in their latest game, as they fell one shy of matching the MLS record to begin a season.

The Houston Dynamo's undefeated run, however, is still intact.

Houston is the league's hottest team with five victories in six games, and it'll look to push its unbeaten run to eight Friday night against Chicago - a team that hasn't won at Toyota Park since its home opener.

The Fire (5-1-6) rolled through their first 11 games without a loss, and looked to join the 1996 Los Angeles Galaxy and 2000 Kansas City Wizards for the longest undefeated streak to begin a season Sunday.

Chicago was facing FC Dallas, one of the league's worst teams, after a three-game road trip. The Fire, however, were unable to earn their second win in five home matches and gave up two first-half goals en route to a 3-0 loss.

"This wasn't a 'trap' game," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "There's no secret that we had a long week with three games in a week and a cross-country trip. Today, it caught up with us a little bit."

Chicago faced Dallas without midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco (three goals, five assists), who was missing due to an international team commitment. Blanco will also miss Friday's game, as will defenders Bakary Soumare (Mali) and Gonzalo Segares (Costa Rica).

The Dynamo (5-2-3) certainly won't feel sorry for the Fire, as they'll be without their leading scorer. Brian Ching will miss the match to play in the USA World Cup qualifier Saturday against Honduras, as will midfielder Ricardo Clark.

Ching was available Saturday when Houston hosted Toronto FC, and while he didn't add to his total of four goals, he set one up. Ching sent a ball in to Kei Kamara in the 22nd minute to give the Dynamo their second early goal, and they went on to win 3-0.

"First half was fantastic," coach Dominic Kinnear said. "We came out with a great attitude and the goals were excellent. We saw the game out (in the second half) quite efficiently. I am really happy."

Houston, 5-0-2 in its last seven games, has scored six goals in its last two contests after scoring eight in its first eight matches.

"It comes and goes," Kinnear said. "When you don't score, people ask what's wrong. When it does, people ask what's right. We keep on doing the same things. Set pieces we work on, but if you have good players on the ball, good things happen."

The Dynamo have won their past three meetings with Chicago, taking both games last season by 2-1 scores. The Fire are 0-2-1 all-time at home against Houston.

Chicago's inability to score in its most recent match at Toyota Park was nothing new. The Fire have five goals in five home games, compared to 15 in seven road contests.

Four of leading scorer Brian McBride's six goals have come on the road.