by FRANCO PANIZO

If the Houston Dynamo is to continue its relative MLS success next season, it will likely have to do so without two of their most talented players.

Midfielders Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden are out of contract at season's end, and both players are unlikely to return to the club, having been strongly linked with moves to Europe during the upcoming winter transfer window.

by FRANCO PANIZO

If the Houston Dynamo is to continue its relative MLS success next season, it will likely have to do so without two of their most talented players.

Midfielders Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden are out of contract at season's end, and both players are unlikely to return to the club, having been strongly linked with moves to Europe during the upcoming winter transfer window.

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo are set to face off for a place in the 2009 MLS Cup Final and it is anybody's guess which of these Western Conference powers will pull off the victory tonight at the Home Depot Center (11:25pm, ESPN2).

The Galaxy will be the host tonight and is a slight favorite, but the Dynamo has a strong enough defense and quality attacking weapons to score the upset.

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The Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo were two of the best teams in MLS all season, and on Friday night they will play for the right to play in and be the favorite in the 2009 MLS Cup Final. The Western Conference Final (11pm, ESPN2) features some of the league's best talent, and is loaded with juicy individual match-ups both on the field and on the sideline.

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo have combined for four MLS Cup titles this decade, and one of them will move a step closer to trying to claim Team of the Decade honors when they meet in Friday's Western Conference Final (11pm, ESPN2).

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo have combined for four MLS Cup titles this decade, and one of them will move a step closer to trying to claim Team of the Decade honors when they meet in Friday's Western Conference Final (11pm, ESPN2).

Landon Donovan's second-half penalty kick proved to be the difference as the Los Angeles Galaxy edged Chivas USA, 1-0, on Sunday to take the series by a goal.

Mike Magee drew the vital penalty when he ran onto a Donovan pass before being crashed into by Chivas USA defender Yamith Cuesta.

The Houston Dynamo will look to take a step closer to a third MLS Cup title in four years today when it hosts the Sounders in Game Two of their Western Conference first-round series (3pm, Telefutura).

The Dynamo held off Seattle's dangerous attack in Game One, posting a scoreless draw in a sold-out Qwest field.

The Seattle Sounders will make their MLS playoff debut tonight against the two-time MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo in the opening match of their Western Conference playoff series (10pm, ESPN2).

The Sounders are new to the playoffs as a club, but have plenty of experience across the board, from two-time MLS Cup-winning coach Sigi Schmid, to European soccer veterans Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg.

The Seattle Sounders will make their MLS playoff debut tonight against the two-time MLS Cup champion Houston Dynamo in the opening match of their Western Conference playoff series (10pm, ESPN2).

The Sounders are new to the playoffs as a club, but have plenty of experience across the board, from two-time MLS Cup-winning coach Sigi Schmid, to European soccer veterans Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg.

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With apologies to the LA SuperClasico series, there is perhaps no MLS playoff series this year more intriguing and more tough to call than the Houston Dynamo-Seattle Sounders series.

The two-time MLS Cup champion Dynamo take on the expansion Sounders in a young rivalry that showed plenty of promise during the season.

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Photo by ISIphotos.com

With apologies to the LA SuperClasico series, there is perhaps no MLS playoff series this year more intriguing and more tough to call than the Houston Dynamo-Seattle Sounders series.

The two-time MLS Cup champion Dynamo take on the expansion Sounders in a young rivalry that showed plenty of promise during the season.

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__________________________________________Photo by ISIphotos.com

There aren't many players in MLS more versatile than Geoff Cameron, and this year, there were no defenders who were better.

When Houston's defense reached a critical moment of transition, Dynamo head coach Dom Kinnear turned to Cameron to help anchor the back-line early in the season and all Cameron did was respond with dominant form few could have expected from the 2008 Rookie of the Year candidate.

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__________________________________________Photo by ISIphotos.com

There aren't many players in MLS more versatile than Geoff Cameron, and this year, there were no defenders who were better.

When Houston's defense reached a critical moment of transition, Dynamo head coach Dom Kinnear turned to Cameron to help anchor the back-line early in the season and all Cameron did was respond with dominant form few could have expected from the 2008 Rookie of the Year candidate.

The Houston Dyanmo's second foray into the CONCACAF Champions League has left their quarterfinal chances to the very last matchday -- with their fate in some other club's hands. And unlike yesterday's matches involving MLS squads, the Dynamo must get three points in El Salvador in order to have any hope of finishing second in Group A.

The Houston Dynamo's second foray into the CONCACAF Champions League has left their quarterfinal chances to the very last matchday -- with their fate in some other club's hands. And unlike yesterday's matches involving MLS squads, the Dynamo must get three points in El Salvador against Isidro Metapan (10pm, FSC) in order to have any hope of finishing second in Group A.

The Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy both had chances to take control of first place in the Western Conference, but neither could take advantage.

The Dynamo and Galaxy played to a scoreless draw on Sunday at Robertson Stadium in Houston.

Dynamo forward Brian Ching became the latest Houston player to earn a red card after being sent off in the 84th minute.

The Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy both had chances to take control of first place in the Western Conference, but neither could take advantage.

The Dynamo and Galaxy played to a scoreless draw on Sunday at Robertson Stadium in Houston.

Dynamo forward Brian Ching became the latest Houston player to earn a red card after being sent off in the 84th minute.

Both MLS clubs had a chance to seize the initiative in their respective CONCACAF Champions League groups last night, but only one managed to come through. D.C. walloped San Juan Jabloteh 5-1 to hop into second place in Group B, while Houston failed to score and lost to Pachuca 1-0. United has completed a rather remarkable turnaround in the competition, after going winless last year and dropping their first two this year.

Both MLS clubs had a chance to seize the initiative in their respective CONCACAF Champions League groups last night, but only one managed to come through. D.C. walloped San Juan Jabloteh 5-1 to hop into second place in Group B, while Houston failed to score and lost to Pachuca 1-0. United has completed a rather remarkable turnaround in the competition, after going winless last year and dropping their first two this year.

Two massive CONCACAF Champions League matches loom tonight for the remaining two MLS squads in the competition. D.C., in need of a win to boost their chances of making a rather unlikely quarterfinal bid, face lowly San Juan Jabloteh (8pm, FSC) of Trinidad & Tobago who have yet to win in the competition.

Two massive CONCACAF Champions League matches loom tonight for the remaining two MLS squads in the competition. D.C., in need of a win to boost their chances of making a rather unlikely quarterfinal bid, face lowly San Juan Jabloteh (8pm, FSC) of Trinidad & Tobago who have yet to win in the competition.

The last time the Houston Dynamo faced Panamanian side Arabe Unido, there were five red cards issued in the match. On Tuesday, red cards weren't raining. It was only raining Dynamo goals.

Houston had four different players score goals, including Stuart Holden, who netted a brace in the Dynamo's 5-1 thumping of Arabe Unido at Robertson Stadium on Tuesday night.

The last time the Houston Dynamo faced Panamanian side Arabe Unido, there were five red cards issued in the match. On Tuesday, red cards weren't raining. It was only raining Dynamo goals.

Houston had four different players score goals, including Stuart Holden, who netted a brace in the Dynamo's 5-1 thumping of Arabe Unido at Robertson Stadium on Tuesday night.

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The Houston Dynamo take on Panamanian side Arabe Unido tonight in a pivotal CONCACAF Champions League clash at Robertson Stadium in Houston (10pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

The Dynamo currently sit in third place in its group, three points behind group leaders Arabe Unido, and two points behind Pachuca.

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The Houston Dynamo take on Panamanian side Arabe Unido tonight in a pivotal CONCACAF Champions League clash at Robertson Stadium in Houston (10pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

The Dynamo currently sit in third place in its group, three points behind group leaders Arabe Unido, and two points behind Pachuca.

Major League Soccer's disciplinary committee gave additional one-game suspensions to Chivas USA midfielder Marcelo Saragosa and Houston assistant coach John Spencer after both were sent off during their teams' games this past weekend.

Saragosa was issued an extra game to his suspension for kicking Seattle Sounders forward Fredy Montero in the face.

                                                                                 Photo by ISIphotos.com

Major League Soccer's disciplinary committee gave additional one-game suspensions to Chivas USA midfielder Marcelo Saragosa and Houston assistant coach John Spencer after both were sent off during their teams' games this past weekend.

The Houston Dynamo will play a vital CONCACAF Champions League match tonight, and is doing what it can to make sure it has a big crowd behind it.

According to the Houston Chronicle, The Houston Dynamo is charging $5 for end-line seats for tonight's CONCACAF Champions League match at Robertson Stadium vs.

The Houston Dynamo will play a vital CONCACAF Champions League match tonight, and is doing what it can to make sure it has a big crowd behind it.

According to the Houston Chronicle, The Houston Dynamo is charging $5 for end-line seats for tonight's CONCACAF Champions League match at Robertson Stadium vs.

                                        Photo by ISIphotos.com

In one of the tougher races to call this season, Houston winger Brad Davis earned MLS Player of the week honors for his one-goal, two-assist performance in the Dynamo's 3-2 win vs.

The Columbus Crew ended MLS and American struggles at Estadio Saprissa last night, becoming the first American team to win at the fabled stadium in San Jose, defeating Saprissa 1-0. An Eddie Gaven goal in just the fifth minute of the match stood up as the difference, as Will Hesmer made some nice saves to keep the clean sheet.

Major League Soccer powers Columbus Crew and Houston Dynamo battled each other in league play on Sunday (a match won by Columbus on a last-minute penalty) and tonight both hit the road in CONCACAF Champions League action.

The Houston Dynamo faces familiar foe Pachuca in Mexico (10pm, FSC), while Columbus is in San Jose, Costa Rica to take on Deportivo Saprissa.

                                                     Photo by ISIphotos.com

With a full stable of forwards, and a player in the final year of his contract, the Houston Dynamo did what it always seems to do: finds a way to make a deal that helps the club.

                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

Toronto FC is set to lose a player who its fans won't soon forget, but appear ready to add a star in the process.

TFC striker Danny Dichio will announce his retirement today, ending a three-year run that saw him score the first goal in club history and establish himself as a fan favorite.