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Dynamo-Chivas USA Preview

Oct 25, 2009 - 5:23 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Houston (12-8-9) at Chivas USA (13-10-6), 3:00 p.m. EDT

CD Chivas USA and the Houston Dynamo wasted key chances to gain an edge in the Western Conference title race. As a result, instead of competing for that championship Sunday, the conference rivals will battle for playoff seeding as they conclude the regular season.

A win for either Chivas USA (13-10-6) or the Dynamo (12-8-9) on Sunday would give that club 48 points - matching first-place Los Angeles - but the Galaxy hold both tiebreakers and secured the conference title with Saturday's 2-0 win over San Jose.

While Los Angeles clinched home-field advantage throughout the West playoffs, Seattle beat Dallas 2-1 on Saturday to move two points ahead of Chivas and Houston for second place. A tie Sunday would give the third seed via tiebreaker to the Dynamo, who beat Chivas 1-0 on June 10. That scenario would pit Chivas against Los Angeles and Houston versus the Sounders in the two-legged opening round of the playoffs.

"It's going to be a battle," defender Carey Talley told Chivas USA's official Web site. "We've played against them in preseason, and once earlier this year. Any time we play these guys, it's a fight. But we're ready for it."

One week ago, Chivas appeared to be in prime position to win the West, holding a game in hand on Houston and Los Angeles amid a three-way tie for first.

Chivas, however, suffered a major letdown in tying the last-place Earthquakes 2-all Oct. 17, while the Dynamo and Galaxy played to a scoreless draw the following day. The club then squandered its extra game Thursday, losing 1-0 at Chicago on an own goal by forward Eduardo Lillingston to set up the Galaxy's West-clinching victory Saturday.

"We need to take care of business and we haven't," Chivas coach Preki said. "We lost that chance, but hopefully we regain our form on Sunday and put ourselves in a good spot to get home-field advantage, at least in the first round."

Chivas' defeat Thursday also gave Columbus its second consecutive Supporters' Shield, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record.

Houston is mired in a 1-2-4 stretch that has seen it fall out of contention for a second consecutive West crown.

The Dynamo will have to endure another one-game suspension to Brian Ching, the team leader with eight goals. The forward was issued a red card for an altercation with David Beckham last Sunday - the fifth consecutive game Houston had a player sent off, with Ching accounting for two of those ejections.

"It's not because it is Brian Ching," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. "It's because it is a player who plays, who is an important player. And if you look at the guys who have been red-carded, they are all important players. They are guys that play significant and important minutes for us. And (last week), it's not just about the six minutes that he missed. It's 90 (against Chivas USA). We've talked about it, but I can't put an ear piece in their ear and tell them to just walk away from situations."

Houston is also coming off Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Isidro Metapan of El Salvador, which eliminated the Dynamo from the CONCACAF Champions League.

The Dynamo could use a strong performance from midfielder Stuart Holden, who is second to Ching on the club with a career-high six goals, but hasn't found the back of the net in his last seven league games.

Holden scored the lone goal against Chivas USA in June, giving Houston a 4-1-5 advantage in the all-time series. Although, the Dynamo are 0-1-3 at the Home Depot Center.