Dynamo Open MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday

Houston begins run at unprecedented third straight cup title

HOUSTON, Texas -- The Houston Dynamo will begin their playoff run at a third consecutive MLS Cup title with a home-and-home series against the New York Red Bulls in the Western Conference semifinals, beginning this weekend.

As the top seed in the Western Conference, the Dynamo open the playoffs against the Red Bulls, who finished fifth in the Eastern Conference and earned one of the final two playoff spots open to teams from either conference. The two-game series will be decided by total goals scored over both games. If the aggregate score is tied after the second game, 30 minutes of overtime will follow, with penalty kicks the ultimate tiebreaker if necessary. The opening game will be held at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Saturday, November 1, at 3 p.m. The match will be televised on Houston’s 55 and TV Informa and can be heard on the radio on 950 AM and 850 AM in the Houston area.

The second leg will be held at Robertson Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m. Over 15,000 tickets have already been sold for the game, which will be televised nationally on TeleFutura and locally on Houston’s 55. The match can also be heard on 790 AM and 850 AM.

The other Western Conference semifinal series pits Chivas USA against Real Salt Lake. In the Eastern Conference, the Columbus Crew will face the Kansas City Wizards, and the Chicago Fire take on the New England Revolution. Conference championship games will be held the weekend of Nov. 14-16, and MLS Cup 2008 will be held on Sunday, Nov. 23, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

If the Dynamo advance, the Western Conference Championship Game would be held on Sunday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. at Robertson Stadium in Houston.

The Dynamo finished the season with a 13-5-12 record and 51 points, most in the Western Conference. Houston had the fewest losses in Major League Soccer and also had the league’s best defense, allowing just 32 goals in 30 games.

After a slow start to the season, the Dynamo are 9-1-7 in MLS play since their June 12 loss to New England. Their only loss in that time came at New York on August 24 by a 3-0 score. The Dynamo are also unbeaten in their last nine MLS games (5-0-4) and are 6-1-7 in their last 14 total games.

The Dynamo finished the season 10-1-4 at home in MLS play, the best record in the league. Houston is also undefeated (16-0-8) in all games when scoring the first goal.

For more information, please log on to the Dynamo Web site at the link below or call (713) 276-7500.

Information courtesy of Houston Dynamo.