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Dynamo-FC Dallas Preview

Aug 5, 2009 - 6:13 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Houston (10-5-5) at FC Dallas (5-9-5), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The Houston Dynamo have already secured El Capit??n and the Texas bragging rights that come with it. Now the Western Conference leaders go for a season sweep of FC Dallas when the teams meet Thursday night at Pizza Hut Park.

After losing El Capit??n to FC Dallas last season for the first time in the three-year history of the series competition, Houston (10-5-5) regained the trophy with a 1-0 win May 9 and a 3-1 victory June 13. Midfielder Cameron Weaver scored twice in the most recent contest, lifting the Dynamo to the win with Brian Ching (left hamstring strain) sitting out.

The Dynamo took that matchup without their star striker, but with Ching gone in July due to national team duty, they went 1-2-1.

Ching returned Saturday and scored twice in a 4-3 win over D.C. United.

"The guys had a tough month," said Ching, tied for eighth in MLS with seven goals. "I have been there before and I really felt for them. It is just so frustrating when you can't help out. It is just so good to be back and to be able to contribute."

Midfielder Stuart Holden, who hadn't played since June 28 due to national duty, scored on a penalty kick in the 66th minute to give Houston its highest goal total of the season.

"Very happy with the win, we played some very good attacking soccer," coach Dominic Kinnear said. "It took us a little while to get going, first 20 minutes or so, but after that, we had some really, really nice stuff."

Dallas (5-9-5) looks to win its fourth straight at home since the June 13 loss to Houston.

Coming off consecutive losses and with leading scorer Kenny Cooper transferred to 1860 Munich in Germany the previous day, Dallas recorded its largest-ever margin of victory and tied a club record for goals in a 6-0 win over Kansas City on Saturday.

Jeff Cunningham scored a career-high four goals and moved into third place in MLS history with 112. He trails Ante Razov of Chivas USA by two for second.

"This is one of those games that every striker dreams of," said Cunningham, who has seven goals in his previous four games. "It seems as if everything you do went well for me tonight, so it's just one of those performances you're grateful of."

Cunningham missed a second-half penalty kick in a 4-2 loss to Real Salt Lake on July 24 after Dallas held a 2-0 halftime lead. In the second half Saturday, Cunningham found the back of the net three times while David Ferreira scored his second of the match.

"Just a week ago, we were in the same position and sometimes you have to burn your hand to know the stove is hot and you have to learn from experience," coach Schellas Hyndman said.

Cunningham will try to continue his scoring surge against a Dynamo club that has a league-best 0.85 goals-against average.

Houston is 7-1-5 all-time against Dallas.