GALAXY TONIGHT

at Houston, 5:30 PDT, HDNet, Prime Ticket

Site -- Robertson Stadium, Houston.

Radio -- 1150, 1330 (Spanish).

Records -- Galaxy 8-12-8, Dynamo 11-5-11.

Record vs. Dynamo -- 0-0-1.

Update -- The math is quite simple now for the Galaxy: It has to win and hope that everyone else loses. One slip and the playoffs will have flown out the door for the third season in a row. David Beckham is suspended from tonight’s match, meaning that Coach Bruce Arena’s team might once again play well, as it did in beating the Colorado Rapids, 3-2, in Carson last weekend. With Beckham in the lineup, it’s more of a one-man show. Without Beckham, there seems to be more energy and more of a team ethic. Houston, unbeaten in its last seven games, has won the last two MLS titles. With a win tonight, it would wrap up first place in the Western Conference and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Dynamo defeated San Jose, 2-1, Wednesday night. Like Beckham, Houston defender Eddie Robinson is serving a one-game suspension. Galaxy striker Landon Donovan leads MLS with 19 goals but is only one ahead of FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper. Donovan is also trying to become the first player in MLS history to a 20-goal, 10-assist season.

-- Grahame L. Jones