Since Houston Dynamo have come into the league, they have held a significant advantage over FC Dallas. But the teams have never met with as much on the line as they will on Sunday at Robertson Stadium.
FC Dallas has never won Houston, losing all three games in MLS action and all four meetings in all competitions. But when the clubs this weekend, the Hoops will come in as the first-place team in the Western Conference, two points ahead of Houston.
This year, FCD is 0-1-1 against Dynamo. Houston prevailed 2-1 at home on June 3 while the sides played to a scoreless draw on June 30 in Frisco. Should the home side prevail on Sunday, "El Capitan" -- the replica 19th century Mountain Howitzer cannon that the sides play for -- will spend a second consecutive year in Houston.
"It's a tough place to play," said FCD left back Chris Gbandi, who along with midfielder Arturo Alvarez is one of two Houston natives on the Hoops roster. "You're playing one of the league's top teams and we haven't had any good fortune there.
"Everyone is talking about them being the defending champs but we feel like this is our year and that we can beat anybody on any given day. We feel that we have the players to win there and can give them trouble."
FCD enters Sunday's match riding a six-game unbeaten streak in league play. Last Saturday, the Hoops beat Columbus 3-2 in Frisco and one week prior, defeated Colorado 1-0, also on their home field. Their last MLS loss came on June 17, when they fell 4-0 at Toronto FC.
Houston has dropped its last two league decisions. Last Saturday, they fell 1-0 at Colorado, a loss that dropped them from the top spot in the West table and one week before, fell by the same score at Real Salt Lake. The Orange's last league win came on July 12, when they knocked off Chicago 4-0 at Toyota Park.
While FCD head coach Steve Morrow admits that he and his side are always geared up to play their in-state rivals, Sunday's match will be as crucial as any other they play this season. After Sunday, the Hoops will have just nine matches left in the regular season.
"We look at each game as it comes. We've always said that we want to get stronger as the season goes on and we're in the final third. We want to continue to build. I think we've had a good run of games and want that to continue," Morrow said. "It's always a little bit of extra motivation when you play against Houston. With them a couple of points behind us as well, we want to make sure that we increase our lead over them with a game in hand. That would put us in an even better position going into the last stretch. That's our motivation going into Sunday's game."
Houston hasn't yet won at FC Dallas, either, but they have come away with draws in two of the three meetings at Pizza Hut Park. Then, of course, they won MLS Cup 2007 in Frisco.
"I don't think it's psychological," said FCD striker Dominic Oduro. "It's a good rivalry game. They have an edge against us at home. Most of the time, I think it's because of their home-field advantage. I think that might change this weekend."
The Hoops will have a few players missing because of injury. Goalkeeper Dario Sala continues to be bothered by a knee injury and Ray Burse will make his second consecutive league start for FCD.
Center back Adrian Serioux, a member of Houston's 2006 MLS Cup championship team, also could miss the match because of a strained hamstring. He did not train on Saturday and Morrow labeled his status as unlikely for Sunday's match.
In the midfield, Juan Toja is out with a high ankle sprain as is defensive midfielder Marcelo Saragosa, who will be serving a suspension after getting a red card in last weekend's win against the Crew.
Making his return for FCD could be center back Alex Yi, who suffered a hamstring injury in a July 11 match against Mexican Primera Division side Tigres UANL and hasn't played since. Morrow said Yi isn't yet match-fit but could come off the bench this weekend.
Sunday's game will be especially huge for Gbandi as it will be the first time this season that he faces his hometown side. He missed the June 3 match, playing for the Liberian national team in an African Nations Cup qualifier against Cameroon, and missed the June 30 rematch on suspension.
"It's pretty big," he said. "I have family there and a lot of people follow me in Houston. For me, it's going to be a pretty big game and I'm excited about it. Playing in Houston, what can I say? My parents will be there. My dad is taking off and bringing some of his friends to see me play."
Earlier in the year, FCD broke through with their first-ever win against the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center and also with their first win over Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium since 1999. Midfielder Dax McCarty thinks the Hoops doing the same on Sunday at Robertson Stadium is definitely in the realm of possibility.
"I'm not too sure (why we haven't won there)," McCarty said. "I think it might be a certain mentality that they have about wanting to be very tough to beat there, especially against us since we're rivals. They really come out and step it up a gear against us.
"... Maybe it's just a little mental hurdle that we have to get over like we did at The Home Depot Center this year. For us, it's a very important game and will set the course for us in our last few games. If we come out strong in the first 20 minutes, we'll be all right for the rest of the game."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
