- (Sports Network) - The New York Red Bulls backed into the 2008 Major League Soccer playoffs, and as a result, have to take on the two- time defending champion Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference Semifinals series to open the playoffs. "It's tough, especially with a team as smart and experienced as Houston is," Red Bulls midfielder Dave van den Bergh said. "We're going to have a tough time coming back if we go down a goal. It's important for us to try to score a goal, but I think it's just as important to maintain a clean sheet. It's going to be a thin line we're going to be walking Saturday. Hopefully, we can make the most out of our offensive strengths this time."

The Red Bulls (10-11-9) won just three of their final 10 regular season matches, including being dominated, 5-2, by Chicago in their last game, but thanks to things breaking their way in the standings, snuck into the playoffs as the last wild-card team and No. 4 seed in the Western Conference bracket.

Houston (13-5-12), the top seed in the West, finished the regular season on a nine-game unbeaten run while allowing the least amount of goals through 30 regular season games for the second-consecutive season despite playing in a number of other tournaments this year.

"I think defensively we've been great. ... We've got the best goals against in the league for the second year in a row," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. "I think also in the loss column, we've only got five losses, and that's pretty impressive, considering the amount of games we've played. The effort the guys give on both sides of the ball is impressive. I think sometimes the players that we have going forward, it's dynamic, and it's quick, and it gives teams problems, and obviously we're organized too."

When the two teams square off at Giants Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the first leg of their home-and-home total goals series, history will also be pulling the clubs in opposite directions.

The Dynamo have won two MLS Cups in their two seasons in Houston while the Red Bulls have never even won a playoff series in their 12 years of existence.

New York will also have a weakened lineup working against it with Seth Stammler and Carlos Mendes out with injuries and Jeff Parke and Jon Conway out because of suspensions. Only Mendes has a chance to return this season while the Dynamo boast a full-strength lineup.



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