Music: {allcanada} Toronto FC's push for playoffs runs through Dynamo on TSN

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

{allcanada} Toronto FC's push for playoffs runs through Dynamo on TSN

Yahoo Fantasy Hockey / ESPN Fantasy Hockey / NHL Live!

The Houston Dynamo will head to BMO Field to face Toronto FC on Wednesday in a match with major implications for the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

Toronto enters the contest just three points back of the playoff divide, needing a victory to go level with the Columbus Crew on 43 points apiece.

The Reds were flying high on three-game unbeaten streak until they were dismantled by the Los Angeles Galaxy in a 3-0 defeat at the StubHub Center on Saturday.

The disparity between Toronto and L.A. should indicate that there were not many positives to take from the result, but TFC interim head coach Greg Vanney did manage to find a few.

Not only was striker Jermain Defoe able to return from injury, but Vanney was able to get a good look of Michael Bradley and Jonathan Osorio partnering one another in the center of midfield. The two players have forgone the international break in order to aid Toronto's playoff push.

"Those are two guys who have played a lot of minutes for us over the course of the year," Vanney told MLSsoccer.com. "As has it with Jurgen (Klinsmann, U.S. head coach), he felt it important, as did Michael, to stay here and help the team try to make a playoff run.

"For Jonathan, I would imagine he's in the national team picture on any given day other than maybe this time period where the club is making a push for its first playoff run," Vanney added. "That's the main thing. I did not speak to the CSA specifically about Jonathan, but I'm confident that he's in the mix if we're not in this playoff-searching run right now."

The international break has not been as kind to Houston, though. The Dynamo will be without Boniek Garcia and Luis Garrido for Wednesday's affair as the duo was called up to the Honduras national team by new coach Hernan Medford.

"When you have a new coach and he calls you up for the first time you want to try and start the relationship on the right foot," Garcia told MLSsoccer.com. "Turning down a call-up might mean difficulties later in getting a call-up with that coach."

Houston's odds of making the postseason are far less favorable than Toronto's, not solely based on player availability.

The Dynamo come into Wednesday's clash on 36 points, seven points back of fifth-place Columbus. A loss to either Toronto on Wednesday or D.C. United - paired with other results around the league - would be enough to rule Houston out of contention.

CBS Sports Fantasy Hockey / Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup 2014 Champions