Struggling Wizards need result against Dynamo

Soccer Betting Lines

09/05/2008 - Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kansas City midfielder Davy Arnaud didn't waste time reflecting on last week's 2-1 loss to San Jose, instead looking ahead to Sunday's game at two-time defending Major League Soccer champion Houston.

"We want to get to next weekend as soon as possible and try and get a result." Arnaud said after the disappointing loss.

Only now, struggling K.C. has to battle surging Houston at Robertson Stadium to break out of its funk.

The Wizards, tied for last in the Eastern Conference entering the weekend, have just one win in their last seven, including three straight losses on the road.

The Dynamo, well, they are the hottest team in MLS with five victories in their last six.

"We have eight games left still and there are 24 points out there to go and get, so we are by no means out of it," Arnaud said. "We are not going to quit."

Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo realizes a tough task awaits this weekend - even if Houston is without stars Brian Ching, Ricardo Clark, Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad because of international duty.

Still, it's important for K.C. to make some progress as it prepares for a push toward the playoffs with five of its last seven matches at home. Despite being level on points with Toronto at the bottom of the East, a playoff spot is still within reach.

"We go to Houston next weekend to play the defending champions and then we get to go home," Onalfo said. "Our destiny's in our hands. You win five games and you're in the playoffs. But we have to get points, there's no doubt about it, with eight games left."

K.C. (6-8-8), which is tied with TFC for the fewest goals scored in the Eastern Conference, traded for forwards Herculez Gomez and Abe Thompson this week.

Onalfo said after getting Gomez that he will "help bolster our attack." Gomez scored two goals and had one assist in 17 matches - four starts - for Colorado and Thompson had three goals and an assist in 13 matches - four starts - for FC Dallas.

Houston has concerns on offense without Ching, who has a team-high nine goals, and De Rosario, who is second on the team with five goals. Clark is a key piece in midfield and Onstad is the starting goalie.

Houston enters the weekend with a five-point lead in the Western Conference and has scored 14 combined goals in its last five wins.

Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis believes the team can cope without its stars.

"This team is very deep, we have a great group of guys. Obviously we miss guys when they leave, but on the other hand we have proven we can put 11 guys on the field with a good mentality, and whoever steps in and is called on knows what their jobs is and what they need to do," Davis said.

With the mid-day match (3 p.m. ET) scheduled, something Davis is worried about is the heat in Texas.

"It's tough sometimes in Houston, two o'clock [central] in early September, but both teams have to play in it," Davis said.

"It's going to be one of those games where it's going to be tough to stay in it but our mentality is to get three points, and that's what we are going to do."

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Big Ten Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa

Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.

Should be in:

Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?

Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.

Work left to do:

Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.

Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.

Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.

Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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