(Sports Network) - Toronto FC has won three of its last four games to climb to first in the Eastern Conference, and hosts the Houston Dynamo - the MLS overall leader - on Saturday afternoon in a crucial match at BMO Field.

Toronto (7-6-4) sits atop the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Fire but D.C. United and the Columbus Crew are both one point back, leaving the title chase wide open.

TFC has five wins and two draws in 10 home matches, but after Saturday's game, will play eight of its final 12 on the road.

"It's a huge challenge," said Toronto midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. "Just the travel itself is a challenge. ... But all of that is part of the process."

Toronto posted an impressive 3-1 win at the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend, and a victory over short-handed Houston (9-4-4) would put the Canadian club in great shape to make a run at the East crown.

TFC is one of the few teams that hasn't been hit hard by international absences - Ali Gerba and Sam Cronin are with Canada and the United States, respectively. Gerba has yet to appear for Toronto, though. Cronin, a rookie, has played in 16 games. Gerba and Cronin will be a boost when they return after the Gold Cup.

Otherwise, Toronto's only injury concern continues to be forward O'Brian White, who is out with a knee problem. He hasn't played this season.

In addition to having Canadians De Rosario and Adrian Serioux, Toronto welcomed U.S. defender Marvell Wynne back last week after he missed more than a month to be with his country in World Cup qualifying and the Confederations Cup.

TFC lost the first meeting with Houston in May, 3-0, but the Dynamo are without a number of their top players for Saturday's match.

Striker Brian Ching and midfielder Stuart Holden are with the United States, and defender Andrew Hainault is with Canada for the Gold Cup, taking three starters out of the lineup.

Houston coach Dominic Kinnear admitted the team struggled without that trio in last week's 2-1 loss at Seattle Sounders FC, which is just three points behind the Dynamo in the West. Also, Geoff Cameron and Bobby Boswell were suspended for the match.

"I don't really like to talk about the guys who are missing, because it takes away from the guys who are playing," Kinnear said. "We are short-handed. So are a lot of teams. It's easy to lean on that as a crutch and say that as an excuse for not winning games.

"I think we try to avoid that as much as possible."

Although Kinnear didn't look to the injuries, defenders Eddie Robinson, Richard Mulrooney and Wade Barrett are all on the injury report this week, along with forward Cam Weaver.

Houston is 4-4-2 on the road this year, and will try to bounce back from giving up two goals in a game for the first time since March 28. Houston had allowed just six goals in its previous 14 games, all with Pat Onstad in net.

"He's been playing great for us for years," Kinnear said of Onstad, who leads MLS with a 0.71 goals against average. "He's a credit to the position."



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