(Sports Network) - The Houston Dynamo host Seattle Sounders FC in a Major League Soccer Western Conference clash on Sunday night.

The Dynamo (11-6-6) currently sit tops in the table, while Seattle (8-6-8) is in third, seven points back.

The Dynamo are expected to unveil their newest forward Luis Angel Landin, who received his United States P-1 visa on Friday after being introduced as the team's first designated player on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Landin has appeared five times for the Mexican national team. He comes to the Dynamo on loan from Mexican club Cruz Azul, where he scored seven goals in the 2009 Clausura season. Landin was on loan to Cruz from Morelia, where he played from 2007-08.

"I am looking forward to getting Luis involved with the team," Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said. "He is a player that will fit nicely into our system. I think we improved our team with an exciting, young, attacking player."

The Dynamo could use the boost, with just two wins in their last seven league fixtures, the most recent being a scoreless draw at Real Salt Lake last Saturday.

The Sounders (8-6-8) are coming off a mid-week league fixture in which they suffered a 1-0 home loss at the hands of the New England Revolution. they will be gunning to get back in the win column and gain ground on the conference leaders on Sunday.

"[Thursday vs. New England] was obviously a disappointing game," Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said. "When you play at home you want to win. I thought we carried the game, but at the end of the day you have to score goals. If you don't score you don't win. You need to score goals."

Seattle now has just two goals in its last five games, both of which were scored in a 2-0 win at Los Angeles on Aug. 15.

"That's something we'll continue to work on," Schmid said of the lack of goals. "All you can do is create opportunities. You can't go on the field and will the ball in to the goal. The players need to come through. Also, we need guys coming off the bench to make a contribution. They made things happen that moved you to the end of your seat, but weren't able to come through in the end."

"It's time to truly see if we are a playoff contender for this league," Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller said. "This is the time when you need to start getting your form to get into [the] playoffs and have a good run. Nothing would be worse for me than to have as good of season that we've had and let it just fizzle out at the end. It's truly important, I think, that we really step up in the next couple weeks and show that we are legit."

The Sounders will have to find a way to win without their leading goal scorer, Fredy Montero, who will be suspended because of yellow card accumulation. Also out is midfielder Michael Fucito, while midfielder Stephen King is doubtful, and midfielder Freddie Ljungberg is questionable, all with injuries.

The Dynamo will be without Andrew Hainault because of suspension, while defenders Eddie Robinson and Richard Mulrooney, and forward Cam Weaver are out with injuries. Midfielder Brian Mullan is also listed as questionable with an ankle sprain.



Copyright 2009 The Sports Network
All rights reserved

 Email To Friend