and their second win.
"Guys are anxious to do well," said midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. "I think Chicago is one of the better games we've played all year in terms of attacking. We just have to keep plugging and hacking away knowing it's a long season. We're only four games in. We know everyone wants to beat the championship team. We have to be ready for every game because every game is like the Cup game right now because everyone wants to beat us.
"It's important that we have a good game, and we come out on the right foot. We want to get that first road win."
Last season the Orange went 2-1-1 against the Rapids in the regular season and followed that up with a 3-1 win in the Western Conference Championship.
But last year's success doesn't mean success this season, and with this being Houston's first trip to Dick's Sporting Goods Park, head coach Dominic Kinnear knows things are different.
"Last year's different," Kinnear said. "They have a new team, new players. You can't take last year for so much.
"Their stadium's bigger. The dimensions are quite bigger I've heard, so there is going to be more open space, so we are going to have to defend as a unit. We have to make sure we stay compact. We don't want to give up a lot of space. They have some guys who can jump on the ball pretty well. They can serve the ball wide in (Herculez) Gomez and Terry Cooke. They have two good strikers, who are taking their chances.
"When the ball turns over, we have to get back quick. They are playing a 4-4-2; we are playing a 4-4-2. If that's the way it goes, we'll battle against each other a bit. We have to make sure when the ball turns over, we get back nice and tight."
With the first month behind them, Houston knows it has to put their slow start behind them as well.
"There's been a lot that's been said about 'Oh, they are starting out slow.' Well, a lot of people that start out slow, and we are one of them," Kinnear said. "I look around the room and our team is a locker room full of winners. We're going to turn it around. Are we going to beat Colorado? I certainly hope so."
So what's it going to take to get a win? Goalkeeper Pat Onstad has allowed just two goals in four games, while playing all 360 minutes so far. Dynamo know they have to keep up the good defense and get a goal to get some points.
"We need a disciplined performance," Onstad said. "I think most important for us is putting the ball in the back of the net. I think if we do that, we have a great chance to win -- what are we, 1-for-1 when we score -- and for us to play well. We didn't really play well the first four games. When we play well, it gives us our best chance to win. Obviously, we have to build on that as well.
"I think right now Colorado looks at us and says this is a chance to put Houston six points behind them. At the same time, we're chasing teams, so we have to get some points."
Jeremy Rakes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
