Dynamo open title defense vs. L.A.

The MLS Cup champions for the last two years kick off their 2007 seasons against each other at Robertson Stadium. Houston Dynamo begin defense of their crown with essentially the same group that lifted the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy in Frisco just a few short months ago. For the Los Angeles Galaxy, their defense was one they just as soon forget - victory in MLS Cup 2005 followed by failure to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs last year for the first time in club history.

REFEREE: Abbey Okulaja. SAR (bench): C.J. Morgante; JAR (opposite): Kyle Borne; 4th: Hilario Grajeda
MLS Career: 56 games; FC/gm: 30.7; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 4; pens: 15
Games involving Dynamo: P4 W3 L1 T0; FC/gm: 34.5; Y/gm: 4.5; R: 1; pens: 0
Games involving Galaxy: P15 W4 L8 T3; FC/gm: 33.5; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 1; pens: 4

INJURY REPORT: HOUSTON DYNAMO - OUT: MF Ricardo Clark (R knee LCL sprain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Corey Ashe (L knee strain) ... LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: FW Alan Gordon (L foot stress fracture); MF Peter Vagenas (neck); QUESTIONABLE: FW Gavin Glinton (L groin strain)

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (4 meetings): Dynamo 2 wins, 4 goals ... Galaxy 1 win, 3 goals ... Draws 1
IN HOUSTON: (2 meetings): Dynamo 1 win, 2 goals ... Galaxy 1 win, 2 goals ... Draws 0
• This is the first of three meetings between the two teams, the first of two at Robertson Stadium - and the last time they'll see each other in league competition for five months. They next meet on Sept. 16 at The Home Depot Center, before concluding the season set two Sundays later back in the Bayou City.

LAST YEAR (MLS):
6/3: HOU 2, LA 1 (De Rosario 22; Robinson 85 - Wolyniec 45)
6/24: LA 0, HOU 0
8/9: LA 1, HOU 0 (Quaranta 69)
9/10: LA 1, HOU 2 (Donovan 29 - Waibel 32; De Rosario 56)
• A year ago, Dynamo claimed the season series in the club's first encounters with the Galaxy. The teams split the two games in Houston though, each winning 2-1 decisions.
• The teams also met in the U.S. Open Cup, with the Galaxy taking a 3-1 victory in their semifinal meeting at The Home Depot Center on Sept. 6 (Gordon 6, Donovan 44, Quaranta 93+ - De Rosario 12).
• Coaches record: Dominic Kinnear vs. LA: P12 W6 L4 D2 ... Frank Yallop v HOU: P2 W1 L1 D1

HOUSTON DYNAMO
Houston Dynamo now set their sights on defense of their MLS Cup title won last November after seeing hopes of a continental honor dashed on Thursday when they were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup in the semifinals. The club completed a dream first season in south Texas last November with a victory on penalty kicks against the New England Revolution just a few hundred miles north at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, cheered on by an armada of orange-clad fans who had made the trip.

• Dynamo saw their dreams of a potential place in the FIFA Club World Cup come to an end Thursday evening when they were knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup in heartbreaking fashion, losing, 5-2, in extra time to Pachuca CF of Mexico, falling, 5-4, on aggregate in the series.
• Trailing 2-0 in the series after the first leg, Pachuca pulled level within the opening quarter-hour, thanks to a close range goal from Gabriel Caballero and a penalty kick from Christian Gimenez. But Brian Mullan put the Orange back in front in the 53rd minute when he hammered home a Dwayne De Rosario pass.
• Gimenez pulled the Tuzos back level six minutes when he again converted from the penalty spot, but Brian Ching delivered a stunning go-ahead goal in the 79th minute, heading home a Kevin Goldthwaite free kick from seven yards with not a defender in sight.
• Yet just seven minutes later, Cabellero struck back for the home side, nodding home a Leobardo Lopez cross just inside the far post to eventually send the match and the series into extra time. Gimenez then sent his side into the final, where they will face CD Guadalajara, with a wicked blast from all of 25 yards with the final touch of the first half of extra time.
• Here's Dominic Kinnear's team on the night: Zach Wells, Craig Waibel (Stuart Holden 57), Ryan Cochrane, Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett, Brian Mullan, Kelly Gray, Dwayne De Rosario (Paul Dalglish 106), Brad Davis (Kevin Goldthwaite 77), Brian Ching, Alejandro Moreno.
• Before heading to Mexico, Dynamo claimed the championship of the Carolina Challenge Cup for the second year running, and the third consecutive year that Kinnear's team has won the preseason tournament in Charleston, S.C.
• Houston began the tournament with a 2-0 victory against Toronto FC, then saw a late blunder give the host Charleston Battery of the USL First Division (second tier) a 1-1 draw in the middle contest. On March 31, the Orange got second-half goals from Brian Ching and Alejandro Moreno to overturn an early Dave van den Bergh for a 2-1 victory against the New York Red Bulls, and the tournament title.
• In advance of the trip to Pachuca, Kinnear ran out his first-choice team against N.Y.: Pat Onstad - Craig Waibel, Ryan Cochrane, Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett - Brian Mullan (Stuart Holden 81), Dwayne De Rosario, Kelly Gray, Brad Davis - Paul Dalglish (Alejandro Moreno 68), Brian Ching.
• In each of the first three years of the tournament, the winning team has gone on to claim one of the two major honors available in MLS: the Columbus Crew and San Jose Earthquakes won the Supporters' Shield in 2004 and 2005 respectively after winning the CCC, then Dynamo won MLS Cup last year after taking home the trophy.
• It's a familiar group of names in orange this season, as Dynamo saw just one major change over the offseason - Adrian Serioux was selected in the expansion draft before he was then traded on to FC Dallas. Apart from Serioux, the only adjustments to the Dynamo squad over the winter came in the reserve ranks. Four players who had made 22 MLS appearances (and only six for Dynamo or the Quakes) combined were let go, and seven rookies have come in.
• "I think it helps that ... we're not changing the style of play that we have," Kinnear said. "There's a lot of familiar faces. It's helpful to have as many guys back, to have the same group returning, because the message is the same, the way you want to play is the same. So you're not trying to teach things. You're just going into preseason with expectations and working from there."

LOS ANGELES GALAXY
A year ago, the Los Angeles Galaxy failed to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in the 11-year history of MLS. Now they are looking to get off to a good start in anticipation of the July arrival of David Beckham, a signing that made worldwide headlines when it was consummated in January.

• The Galaxy's final preseason tuneup came on March 30, a victory against the expansion California Victory of the USL First Division (second tier) at the Home Depot Center. Nate Sturgis stabbed home the game's only goal in the fifth minute for the Galaxy.
• Here's Frank Yallop's team: Joe Cannon, Chris Albright, Kyle Veris (Shavar Thomas 46), Ty Harden, Ante Jazic, Kevin Harmse, Nathan Sturgis (Josh Tudela 65), Kyle Martino (Mike Randolph 65), Cobi Jones (Ian Russell 46), Santino Quaranta (Gavin Glinton 46), Robbie Findley.
• The game marked the Galaxy debut of midfielder Ian Russell, signed by the club just a few days before. Russell played six seasons (2000-2005) with the San Jose Earthquakes, making 131 appearances (91 starts) and scoring 5 goals with 20 assists, three of those seasons under the tutelage of current Galaxy boss Frank Yallop. Russell had retired before the start of the 2006 season.
• The Galaxy traveled to Puerto Rico the week before, and came away with the title in the inaugural USL-MLS Challenge to be played in the U.S. commonwealth. The Galaxy defeated a pair of USL First Division teams, defeating the Rochester Raging Rhinos, 3-2, and the host Puerto Rico Islanders, 2-1. Forward Nate Jaqua and defender Chris Albright each scored twice in the tournament and midfielder Kyle Martino also added one, with Jaqua grabbing the game-winner in each contest.
• Here's the Galaxy team that won the second game in Puerto Rico, March 25: Joe Cannon, Ty Harden, Kyle Veris, Ante Jazic, Chris Albright, Josh Tudela, Ian Russell (Mike Randolph 46), Cobi Jones (Robbie Findley 80), Kyle Martino, Nate Jaqua, Santino Quaranta (Nathan Sturgis 80)
• The Galaxy know getting off to a good start will be all-important. A year ago they won just twice in their 15 games in defense of their MLS Cup title - and did not reach the playoffs for the first time in club history.
• "There's only so much (David) Beckham's going to be able to do once he gets here if we're in the cellar," said veteran right back Chris Albright. "We have to get off to a good start so when he shows up he can help us get even better, not make us good."
• Helping the cause will be the health of the team. Striker Alan Gordon, who was expected to be a starter out of preseason, suffered a stress fracture in his left foot and will be out 2-3 months. But with the exception of Gordon, Yallop will have the remainder of the squad available.
• "We had a few issues (with injuries) last year. For me it's not about one game, it's about the whole season staying healthy, adding players to the roster if we need to," said Yallop. "We still have some room to do that. We'll make sure that come the next couple of weeks we're firing on all cylinders."
• And despite the increased emphasis on coming into the season flying and getting off to a good start, Yallop has gained the plaudits of his team for the workload. "Every coach will tell you it's as big of a point as any to stay healthy," said Peter Vagenas. "Frank has done an impeccable job in terms of managing players and giving players who need that extra time off some rest."