Houston Moves East

Friday MLS announced the conference formatting for the 2011 season. There was expected to be some realigning as the two new teams this year (Portland and Vancouver) are on the West Coast. Without some realignment, the league was going to have 10 Western Conference teams vs 8 Eastern Conference teams. So to balances the two conferences, MLS moved the Dynamo to the East from the West. This wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I was expecting Kansas City to be making it's way back west and both of the Texas teams to be moving east to keep that rivalry in conference.

Houston missed the playoffs last year so they'll fit in with the rest of the East that all had trouble this past season. They like KC though have been on a few commentators lists for teams that could make a quick turnaround this season. KC though doesn't have a hugely successful record against the Dynamo, KC has only won twice, the first time the teams met, and the latest time in the 4-3 thriller last season. In between, KC has gone 0-5-3 against Houston, scoring only 5 times while conceding 13. KC also lost to Houston in the Western Conference finals 2-0 back in 2007.