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Wizards-Chivas USA Preview

Oct 9, 2009 - 2:55 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Kansas City (8-11-8) at Chivas USA (12-9-5), 10:30 p.m. EDT

Chivas USA could be in position to secure its fourth consecutive playoff appearance Saturday night, but the club appears to have bigger things in mind.

Chivas looks to move closer to its first Supporters' Shield when it hosts a Kansas City Wizards team that could be eliminated from postseason contention.

Chivas USA (12-9-5) will know before it takes the field Saturday if a playoff spot is at stake.

The team is tied with idle Seattle for fifth in MLS, five points ahead of the ninth-place tie between D.C. and FC Dallas and six in front of Toronto FC in 10th. Chivas has two games in hand on United and Dallas - both idle Saturday - while also holding both head-to-head tiebreakers, so a tie against the Wizards (8-11-8) would be enough to outdistance them.

Chivas has also played one less game than Toronto, which hosts San Jose earlier Saturday. A loss or tie by Toronto would give Chivas a chance to clinch a postseason berth that night.

Chivas USA improved its chances by winning 2-0 at D.C. last Saturday. That victory is part of a 2-0-2 stretch that has given the club confidence that it can make a run for the Supporters' Shield, awarded to the team with the most points in the regular season.

"We want to bring some silverware and make some history," midfielder Michael Lahoud told the team's official Web site. "We want to bring a first championship to the team. Our first goal is to come in first place overall in the league. Then we'll tackle the playoffs."

To reach the top spot in MLS, Chivas will have to overcome a five-point gap on Eastern Conference-leading Columbus, which visits New England on Saturday.

"The goal now is to win the rest of the games and get first in the league," forward Justin Braun said.

Chivas has outscored opponents 5-1 over its last four games behind the resurgence of Sacha Kljestan.

The midfielder has four goals in the last seven games after failing to find the back of the net in his first 14 matches of the season, including a 1-all tie with the Wizards on May 23.

Chivas is 2-0-2 all-time against Kansas City at The Home Depot Center.

The Wizards are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third time in five years.

They're six points back of the eighth-place Revolution, so a Kansas City loss coupled with New England tying or beating the Crew would eliminate it from contention.

The Wizards are 3-1-2 in their last six after an 0-5-2 stretch. They tied Houston 1-all on Sunday despite playing 73 minutes with a man advantage.

"It was a playoff game for us and it was a must-win," coach Peter Vermes told the Wizards' official Web site. "Mathematically we are still alive, but we lost a huge opportunity."

Kansas City will have to endure the absence of defender Jimmy Conrad, while Chivas is without defender Jonathan Bornstein. Both players are with the U.S. national team for its final two World Cup qualifiers at Honduras on Saturday and against Costa Rica four days later.