sod was installed temporarily for dual use in Revs' matches and international matches -- the Revolution are a far more modest 0-2-1 with a minus-1 goal difference.
AMAZING HOUSTON RUN: This ongoing, sky-high run of Houston Dynamo is getting into the territory of historical stuff.
Since May, Dynamo are 8-0-1. Dominic Kinnear's team has been even better over its last six contests, outscoring opponents in that time by a jaw-dropping margin of 14-0.
Houston's shutout streak has now reached 605 minutes, the second longest run of perfect defense in MLS history. Kansas City holds that record currently. Its 2000 team, backstopped superbly by Tony Meola, posted a string of 681 minutes of shutout soccer. (Bob Gansler's side went on to win the MLS title that season.)
That means Houston must go 77 minutes into Sunday's home date with Toronto to break the Wizards' MLS record.
So how does the Dynamo surge compare to the Wizards' big run in 2000? Kansas City outscored its six shutout victims by a 12-0 margin. Advantage: Houston.
Both teams' impressive run included one tie. No edge there.
The Wizards' six-game march extended over 30 days and included four home matches. Dynamo's six-game blitz happened over 22 days (so far), and included just three matches at home.
STADIUM TALK IN HOUSTON: Dynamo's big success, parlayed with the continuing national clamor over David Beckham, can only help the club's efforts to develop its own facility.
Dynamo general manager Oliver Luck said the team is making steady progress with the city of Houston, exchanging financial information and narrowing site possibilities. The goal of opening the 2010 season in a dedicated soccer stadium looks within reach, he said.
"There's still a lot of work do to, but I'm confident," Luck said.
It's a good time to retain the initiative. Not only is the team surging on the field, and not only are folks talking about Beckham, but recent events and matches still to come are keeping a steady awareness and focus on soccer in the nation's fourth largest market.
Two nights of Gold Cup games in June at Reliant Stadium drew crowds of more than 68,000 and 70,000. That attracted some local leaders' attention, Luck said. And the upcoming SuperLiga matches inside Robertson Stadium are expected to be well attended, too.
Suddenly, multiple events in Houston are attracting significant media exposure and large crowds.
"And that's helping people realize this is a very viable sport here," Luck said. "That's not something people would have necessarily said five or 10 years ago."
NEW K.C. HOME -- OFFICIALLY: Kansas City Wizards officials held a dedication ceremony for the club's brand new Swope Park Training Center on Friday evening. It served as the official inauguration for the $3 million complex, with its four fields and amenity laden clubhouse.
But the team has actually been training in its new home for about a month. Team officials wanted to let workers apply all the little finishing touches before the ceremonial public opening.
Eddie Johnson was back inside the training center this week -- even returning to a good natured standing ovation from teammates following extensive international duty. Manager Curt Onalfo hasn't said whether Johnson will start this weekend at home against Real Salt Lake. But considering the Wizards' struggles near goal, it's a safe bet that the U.S. international forward will appear in the starting 11.
As for the transfer rumors swirling around Johnson, Kansas City officials will say only that Johnson is back, happily reunited with teammates, and that they know offers will be made periodically for players of Johnson's caliber.
Steve Davis is a freelance writer who has covered Major League Soccer since its inception. Steve can be reached at BigTexSoccer@yahoo.com. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
