We had the same finalists a year ago, and they produced a turnoff classic, a game that was dreadful beyond any telling of it. The good news about this year’s final is that it has to be better than last year’s, if only because it cannot possibly be worse.

Now I’m certainly not going to defend last year’s title game as a classic (though the overtime was exciting), but I resent Gardner’s assertion that the Dynamo aren’t an attacking team. It seems to me he’s basing his opinion on last year’s final and hasn’t watched any Dynamo games this year.

Sure they have the best defense in the league (a new MLS record), but this is a team that never stops attacking. They play some of the most beautiful soccer in the league: one-touch passes, lovely build-up play, and some fine finishing from the entire team. They are the best team I’ve ever seen: no superstars, no egos, just a bunch of hard-working castoffs of other teams that pull together and do the impossible (I’m including the San Jose guys that are the core of this Dynamo team).

Where does Gardner get off writing this outrageous statement:

The Dynamo’s playoff games have been full of incident, lively enough, without featuring much by way of good soccer.

Oh come on! Granted, there were times in the Dallas match where they were just grinding it out, but there was some excellent soccer in there as well. The Kansas City match was just brilliant. Both matches were terrific to watch with tons of goal-scoring chances. How could that be called boring and defensive? I saw a post on Big Soccer that just fifteen minutes into the K.C. game was saying it was ten times more entertaining the entire NE/Chicago game and I’d have to agree.

Now I doubt that we’ll see a hugely lopsided result on Sunday (though it could happen). I suspect it’ll be tight and it’ll be a real battle. But what’s wrong with that? As long as there are goal-scoring chances created, it’ll be a fun game to watch, and lately Houston’s been working hard to generate tons of chances and it’s been a blast to watch. I’m looking forward to Sunday and I sure hope Houston prove Gardner wrong.

So, do you agree with Paul or me?

– Marc

Terrific game, with Nate Jaqua scoring in the first half and De Rosario putting one away in the second.

This win is huge for Houston, as it means that next weekend’s Chivas-Houston game could decide the Western Conference Championship. For that game to matter, the Dynamo must win Monday’s RSL clash. But if they do, a win against Chivas in the final game of the season would secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs for Houston. Go Orange!

The Colorado-Chivas game was terrific with the Rapids frantically defending a slim lead late and after like 20 chances for Chivas, finally giving up a goal. But then in injury time Chivas were going for the win and got caught upfield when Conor Casey managed to win a ball on the left side against a defender and ran into the goal area nearly unopposed. He played a simple cross for a teammate to tap in and with just a couple minutes left in the match, Colorado held on for a monster victory. (Colorado still need to win their final match against RSL to have any hope of playoff soccer; they’ll also need Dallas to beat Kansas City.)