This day could be capped with a nice soccer doubleheader as the U.S. men's national team plays a suddenly extra-important home game against Honduras at 5 p.m., which should be over before the Sounders game at Chivas at 7:30.

Here's a look at the national team's match.

Here's a look at the Sounders-Chivas game from MLSnet.com.

And here's mySounders preview story, which makes the point that this will be the first time they have faced the same opponent more than once in league play.

The second will come next week when San Jose visits for the second time. And, of course, it will become common as the season progresses.

Today, coach Sigi Schmid said he things the return visit will benefit his team.

“They have a better idea of what they’re going to come up against,” he said. “Zakuani knows what (Chivas midfielder Mariano) Trujillo looks like now and how he plays a little bit. Freddie Ljungberg knows how (Paulo) Nagamura plays. He also knows what Trujillo looks like, what (Carey) Talley is like, etc. Those are all pluses. … When you play a team a second time they have an idea already of what some of the tendencies are. It’s different when you just watch it on tape versus being on the field.”

Schmid said his team even benefits from familiarity with the stadium -- in this case, Home Depot Center.

“I think when you’ve played some place before you just know, ‘OK, that’s where the locker room is, that’s where the stadium is, this is how it feels, this is how the crowd feels,” he said. “It just makes it easier to prepare the second time around.”

Red-hot Houston kept the pressure on the Sounders tonight, making an early goal stand up in a 1-0 win at Chicago.

The Dynamo is now 6-2-3 on the season. but 6-0-2 since April 11 and have outscored their opponents 12-2 over the streak.

They will come to Qwest Field on July 11.

Chivas leads MLS in fouls committed, and I thought their physical style jolted the Sounders offense in the earlier meeting -- a 2-0 Chivas win.

I asked coach Sigi Schmid about that today before the Sounders flew out to LA.

“They’re a team that’s very good at killing plays early,” he said. “What I mean by ‘killing plays early’ is if you look like you’re about to break, then there happens to be a little nick or a little foul or a little obstruction, and the play stops, and they get behind the ball. That’s one reason that they’ve defended well. They’re very good at taking the foul at opportune moments."

I asked him if there's any answer to that.

"There’s no real answer to that," he said. "Except the referee maybe has to be a little more aware of what they’re doing tactically.”

An early look ahead:

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-2-5; 17 pts.)
AT CHIVAS USA (7-2-3; 24 pts.)
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.
TV: KONG 6/16.
Radio: 97.3 FM (in Spanish on 1210 AM).
Head to head: Chivas won, 2-0, at home on April 18. Chivas visits Seattle on Sept. 19.
Statistical leaders: For Seattle, G 4 Fredy Montero; A 4 Nate Jaqua; Sh 30 Montero; SOG 8 Montero. For Chivas, G 4 Eduardo Lillingston/Paulo Nagamura; A 4 Gerson Mayen; Sh 22 Lillingston; SOG 10 Sacha Kljestan/Lillingston.
Coach Sigi Schmid scouting report: “(Maykel) Galindo is back up front, so that gives them some pace. … They’re very good at taking the foul at opportune moments. … They have a good understanding defensively that makes them tough to break down. And (goalkeeper) Zach Thornton is having a very good year.”
Notes: Chivas is the MLS points leader. However, the Red and White is 0-1-2 over the last three games. Seattle has drawn five straight games. … Thornton leads MLS with six shutouts; Keller has the league’s lowest goals-against average (0.64). … Chivas leads the league in penalties, while Montero is the individual leader in penalties suffered. … Chivas is without Jonathan Bomstein and Sacha Kljestan due to their duties with the U.S. National Team. Chivas’ Jesse Marsch and Seattle’s Tyrone Marshall are out due to disciplinary suspensions. Chivas’ Atiba Harris and Mariano Truillo and Seattle’s Jhon Kennedy Hurtado are one yellow card away from a one-game suspension. … Chivas is coached by former Tacoma Stars standout Preki. Galindo played two seasons with the USL Sounders after defecting from Cuba.
Next: 7:30 June 13, vs. San Jose, Qwest Field.

The Sounders are off the Starfire practice pitch and heading for SeaTac and their flight to LA.

Not much news from today's training session, except that Peter Vagenas was practicing with heaving taping over his left thumb, which has injured the day before. It's not anything that affects his game status.

Otherwise, coach Sigi Schmid gave a little scouting report on Chivas, which I'll pop on here in a little while.