Despite its disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday, Dynamo are still in the hunt for the Western Conference title. Dynamo and Chivas USA are in a battle for the top spot, and it all boils down to the final two weeks of the season.
The Western Conference champion will have home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs and open against the eighth and final Wild Card insertion, which could be Chicago, Columbus, Colorado, Kansas City, or Los Angeles. The 2nd place team will take on FC Dallas in the first round.
Chivas earned a road point at FC Dallas on Thursday night with a 0-0 draw. The result pushed the Red-and-White four points ahead of Dynamo with two games left to play.
Depending on this weekend's results, the Conference title could go down to the final game when Dynamo battles Chivas at the Home Depot Center on Saturday, October 20th (9:30 p.m. CT, Fox Soccer Channel).
Dynamo faces Real Salt Lake on Monday night (8:00 p.m., CH 55, CH 43) while Chivas hosts Colorado on Sunday (2:00 p.m., Telefutura).
The playoff picture looks like this:
• Chivas can clinch first place with a win over the Rapids on Sunday or with a Dynamo loss at Salt Lake on Monday.
• A Chivas loss or a draw to Colorado keeps Dynamo alive.
• Should Chivas draw with Colorado, Dynamo would have to win its final two matches (RSL and Chivas) to claim the title.
• If Chivas loses to Colorado on Sunday, then Dynamo can go 1-0-1 over its final two matches.
• Dynamo has already won the season series with Chivas, so if the two teams finish even in points, Dynamo will win the Conference based on head-to-head results. Houston is 2-0-0 against Chivas this season, with 5-0 goal differential.
There is little margin of error for Dynamo, but one has to think their chances are good. Houston has a combined record of 3-1 against its final two opponents, while Chivas has a record of 1-2-1 against its remaining counterparts.
Dynamo are 1-1-0 versus Real Salt Lake, having had an 11-game unbeaten streak snapped when RSL pulled off a 1-0 victory at Rice-Eccles Stadium on August 4th. Dynamo earned revenge with a 4-3 win at home on September 8th. RSL is out of the playoff picture, so they will be looking to play spoiler.
Chivas is 1-0-1 versus the Rapids, capturing a 2-0 victory at home and earning a 1-1 draw at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. Colorado is still fighting for the final playoff position, so they should be highly motivated.
One factor working against Houston could be the fact that Chivas plays its final two games at home where they are undefeated at 10-0-3, while Dynamo plays its final two games on the road where they are 6-5-2.
Regardless of a first or second place finish in the west, Dynamo will host their first playoff game at Robertson Stadium on Friday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
