CHIVAS USA: PLAYOFF ERA KICKS OFF.

Byline: MATT ZIMMERMAN Staff Writer

Playoff futbol is indeed, aqui.

A year after the team's inaugural season fell apart following bold proclamations that ``futbol esta aqui,''

Chivas USA postseason soccer is here. A major rebuildng of the roster and a new coach (Bob Bradley) later, Chivas' third-place finish in the Western Conference brought a major League Soccer playoff series against second-place Houston.

Today at 1 p.m., Chivas hosts the first leg of the two-game, total-goals first round series against the Dynamo at the Home Depot Center.

``Hat's off to Bob and his staff for putting together such an entertaining team,'' Chivas USA senior vice president and general manager Whit Haskel said. ``We felt pretty good about our chances at the start of the season, and such a unique blend of Mexican world-class players and MLS veterans, and young rookies. It's just a great environment and a great vibe when you're with the team, and it's been that way all season long.''

The team's lineup changed so much that only one player, midfielder Francisco Mendoza, started both 2005's final game, and the regular-season finale last week against Real Salt Lake.

``I think we've managed to achieve what we want, the firststep, which is getting to the playoffs,'' Mendoza said. ``And now we have to get in the right mentality so that we can make that next step, towards a championship.''

The last time Houston visited Chivas, the home team picked up a 3-2 win, but not without a bit of controversy. On that August 26 evening, Houston's MLS Most Valuable Player candidate Dwayne De Rosario was taken down in stoppage time by Chivas defender Jason Hernandez.

Referee Alex Prus signaled to play on.

``You get calls and you don't get calls, so I think that stuff all evens out at the end of the year,''

Chivas USA leading scorer Ante Razov (14 goals, eightassists) said. ``We could sit here and say I probably had four or five goals taken away from me (this season) that were legitimate goals, that were called offsides. But that's just how it is.''

Following the game, Houston coach Dominic Kinnear and his staff confronted the officials on the field.

``I can complain, it's sour grapes because we lost,''

Kinnear said after the game. ``But I still think the decisions went against us tonight.''

Adding to the matchup, which concludes next Sunday in Houston, is the fact Chivas is the only West team against which Houston failed to win the season series.

The 1-1-2 mark consisted of a win and a tie at home for each team.

The ball hasn't exactly bounced Chivas' way down the stretch. Injuries kept Razov goalless since tallying twice in that win against the Dynamo, and usual starters Juan Francisco Palencia and Juan Pablo Garcia also missed recent games, including the season-ender.

Throw in Houston's added motivation from last season's first-round exit as the San Jose Earthquakes after having the best record in the West, and Chivas faces quite a challenge. Yet, veterans such as Razov and Jesse Marsch (probable with a concussion suffered against Real) have plenty opf MLS playoff experience, including an MLS Cup title won with Bradley as coach during Chicago's 1998 expansion season.

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Photo:

Juan Pablo Garcia, right, signs a jersey during a rally celebrating Chivas USA's first playoff berth.

Kevin Chang/Staff Photographer

Box:

CHIVAS USA VS. HOUSTON DYNAMO

- Matt Zimmerman