(Sports Network) - The Houston Dynamo travel to take on the Columbus Crew in a battle of the winners of the last three Major League Soccer Cups on Sunday evening at Crew Stadium.

The defending champion Crew (10-4-9) are the current leaders in the Eastern Conference table, but are coming off their first loss in nine league fixtures on Aug. 30, 1-0, at last-placed New York.

"To be honest with you, I was very happy with that performance," Crew coach Robert Warzycha said after the loss. "I think we definitely dominated the game and gave up a counterattacking goal. So obviously, I'm not happy with the result. But I'm pretty happy with the way the guys played."

"We're going to throw those games in the trash can and move on," Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven said. "We didn't play our best. We can play so much better. It's a long season. It's nice to be able to take a week where guys can rest their bodies. It's also just as important to rest their minds as well. I think it is going to help us."

The Dynamo (11-7-7) are the current leaders in the West, and they are also coming off a 1-0 loss at Colorado in their last league fixture on Aug. 30.

"Our ball movement was a bit slow, our movement off the ball was a little slow, everything was a little slow," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said after the loss. "We didn't throw a lot at them and they didn't really throw a lot at us. It was kind of a dull, even-steven game."

"I thought we could have come out with more fight. It's one of those games whether it be fatigue from playing a lot of games or whatever, I thought we should have come out with more energy and I think that is what killed us," Houston midfielder Ricardo Clark said.

Both teams will obviously be looking for a better result on Sunday.

Houston will be without defender Richard Mulrooney, while defender Eddie Robinson and forward Cam Weaver are doubtful with injuries.

The Crew have no reported injuries and expect to be at full strength, including Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who has played sparingly in recent weeks because of an injury.

"The best team will be on the field. We need to win some games," Warzycha said. "We still have 11 games before the playoffs. We always step on the field trying to win the games and if [Schelotto] is going to be sharp and contributing to the team he's going to play. Some games are going to be more important because of the timing."



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