Vancouver Sun

THREE THEMES | DYNAMO @ WHITECAPS

PLAYERS TO WATCH

- Gary Kingston,

SCOREBOARD WATCHING

No, not by the Caps players, who

insist they’ll be too focused on their own game against Houston to peek at the out-of-town scoreboard at halftime. But you can bet the organizati­on and the fans will be looking for updates from Kansas City, Portland and Seattle. Just four points separate second (L.A. Galaxy) from seventh (San Jose) in the West and the Caps can still finish anywhere from second to sixth. First and second earn byes to the conference semifinals, third and fourth host the eliminatio­n games Wednesday or Thursday. For a detailed look at the eight different scenarios for the Caps to finish top four, go to whitecapsf­c. com

A LOT AT STAKE

The Caps have the second most wins in the West at 15-13-5 and have the best road record in MLS. But if they lose to Houston, fall to fifth or sixth in the conference and fail to get that first home playoff date, can the season be viewed as a success, particular­ly if they get knocked out of the post-season in the first round? “There’s a lot at stake on Sunday and we’ll be motivated,” said goalkeeper David Ousted. “But it’s also not falling into the other category, being too hyped up on getting that win. We need to go into the game with calmness in our mind. It won’t help us if we just go gung-ho and try to kill this Houston team in the first 10 minutes. I don’t think they’ll go down that easy.”

HOUSTON, A PROBLEM?

What kind of effort will the Dynamo come up with? Houston (11-13-9) will miss the playoffs for the second consecutiv­e season for the first time in club history and is just 2-9-5 on the road. “I think we’ve shown this season that at times we can stand toe-to-toe … and there’s been times where we let opportunit­ies pass us by,” said head coach Owen Coyle. He might look at a couple of younger players, but it’s also a last opportunit­y in 2015 to evaluate the top three goal scorers — Will Bruin, Ricardo Clark and Giles Barnes, all of whom are out of contract, as is goalkeeper Tyler Deric. The Dynamo beat the Caps 2-0 in Houston in late August.

DAVID OUSTED

Whitecaps The veteran goalkeeper, pictured, who led MLS in shutouts in 2014, is tied for second with San Jose’s David Bingham with 12, one back of Portland’s Adam Kwarasey. Can he get a 13th against Houston? He’d like that, but says it’s important that the club just put up another solid defensive effort. “Playoffs is obviously about winning games, scoring goals, but it’s also about being defensivel­y sound and not letting in those crucial goals that’s going to make it hard.”

ERIK TORRES

Dynamo The young Mexican internatio­nal, a star with Chivas USA in 2014, has had a tough year. He barely played while on loan to Chivas Guadalajar­a early and legal troubles delayed his arrival in Houston until late summer. He has failed to score in 10 games, just two of them starts, and missed time early this month while playing in the Olympic qualifying tournament with Mexico. But Coyle wants to give him one last run before the off-season. “He’s looked look sharp in training since he’s gone back.”

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