Fri Aug 24 19:26:05 2007

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Crew aim to improve playoff position at Houston

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Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Columbus Crew are trying to hang on to the final playoff position on Saturday when they travel to Robertson Stadium in a meeting with the Houston Dynamo.

The Crew have lost two straight matches, but still hold two points on the Colorado Rapids for the final postseason berth.

"It's a growing process for us," Crew coach Sigi Schmid said. "To be a good team, you've got to be consistent."

On the other hand, the Dynamo have bigger goals in mind. With an 11-7-4 record, Houston is hoping to keep the top spot in the Western Division as it sits only one point ahead of FC Dallas.

The Dynamo are still in the mix for the Supporters' Shield, sitting only two points behind the New England Revolution for the best record in the MLS.

Houston has been very tough at home in 2007, outscoring its opponents 15-4 in 11 matches at Robertson Stadium. To make the home-field advantage even more important in Saturday's match is the fact that the Crew have posted only one victory outside of Ohio this season.

Columbus could have a tough day on offense as the it will be facing a Houston club which has yielded a league-low 15 goals. Guillermo Barros Schelotto leads the Crew with four goals, while the Dynamo offense is led by Brian Ching's seven goals.

Eddie Robinson will miss the match for Houston due to a league suspension, while his teammate Ryan Cochrane must play cautious as he is only one yellow card away from suspension.

This will be the third all-time meeting between the two clubs. The Crew are still seeking their first three-point result with Houston after suffering a loss and settling for a pair of draws.