Kansas City (6-8-8) at Houston (9-5-8)

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Kansas City midfielder Davy Arnaud didn't waste time reflecting on last week's 2-1 loss to San Jose, instead looking ahead to Sunday's game at two-time defending Major League Soccer champion Houston.

"We want to get to next weekend as soon as possible and try and get a result." Arnaud said after the disappointing loss.

Only now, struggling K.C. has to battle surging Houston at Robertson Stadium to break out of its funk.

The Wizards, tied for last in the Eastern Conference entering the weekend, have just one win in their last seven, including three straight losses on the road.

The Dynamo, well, they are the hottest team in MLS with five victories in their last six.

"We have eight games left still and there are 24 points out there to go and get, so we are by no means out of it," Arnaud said. "We are not going to quit."

Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo realizes a tough task awaits this weekend - even if Houston is without stars Brian Ching, Ricardo Clark, Dwayne De Rosario and Pat Onstad because of international duty.

Still, it's important for K.C. to make some progress as it prepares for a push toward the playoffs with five of its last seven matches at home. Despite being level on points with Toronto at the bottom of the East, a playoff spot is still within reach.

"We go to Houston next weekend to play the defending champions and then we get to go home," Onalfo said. "Our destiny's in our hands. You win five games and you're in the playoffs. But we have to get points, there's no doubt about it, with eight games left."

K.C. (6-8-8), which is tied with TFC for the fewest goals scored in the Eastern Conference, traded for forwards Herculez Gomez and Abe Thompson this week.

Onalfo said after getting Gomez that he will "help bolster our attack." Gomez scored two goals and had one assist in 17 matches - four starts - for Colorado and Thompson had three goals and an assist in 13 matches - four starts - for FC Dallas.

Houston has concerns on offense without Ching, who has a team-high nine goals, and De Rosario, who is second on the team with five goals. Clark is a key piece in midfield and Onstad is the starting goalie.

Houston enters the weekend with a five-point lead in the Western Conference and has scored 14 combined goals in its last five wins.

Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis believes the team can cope without its stars.

"This team is very deep, we have a great group of guys. Obviously we miss guys when they leave, but on the other hand we have proven we can put 11 guys on the field with a good mentality, and whoever steps in and is called on knows what their jobs is and what they need to do," Davis said.

With the mid-day match (3 p.m. ET) scheduled, something Davis is worried about is the heat in Texas.

"It's tough sometimes in Houston, two o'clock [central] in early September, but both teams have to play in it," Davis said.

"It's going to be one of those games where it's going to be tough to stay in it but our mentality is to get three points, and that's what we are going to do."