there certainly there are parallels to 2000, but I wasn't here."
Some of the Wizards players have talked about the underdog role, Onalfo said. The first-year boss added that anything along the underdog tag that helps the Wizards prepare for Houston is a good thing.
One concern for the Wizards is Houston midfielder Dwayne DeRosario.
"The one thing Dwayne always wants is to win and to be a catalyst," Kinnear said. "Dwayne his runs from midfield, it definitely takes teams by surprise. A lot of his best movements and actions are without the ball."
"He really makes a difference in the game," said Kansas City center back Jimmy Conrad. "He can change the game with one play. I don't think that anybody on Chivas has the ability to change the game with one play."
The game features plenty of balance between the two clubs. Both have offenses that can be explosive at times. Onalfo cited the Dynamo defense for their cohesiveness.
"They press the ball very well. Their back line moves well together", Onalfo said.
But the Wizards have not given up a goal in their last three matches, a season-ending shutout of FC Dallas then back-to-back blankings of Chivas in the semifinals.
"They're pretty clear on how they attack. They have five excellent attacking players. We have five very good defensive players," Onalfo said of the Dynamo. "Having said that, they are the defending champions. They have a great winning attitude. I think they have an excellent head coach. We know that we will be an enormous challenge. We are up to the challenge."
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
