Sounders FC needs a win Sunday against San Jose to keep up with the MLS-leading Houston Dynamo, who claimed a wild 4-3 win over D.C. United today.

Houston led 3-0 before D.C. made its charge. (And apparenly there was something odd going on in Texas today, as FC Dallas -- of all people -- mauled Kansas City, 6-0.)

Houston moved to 35 points on the season.

Here's an early look at the Sounders' game:

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (7-3-8, 29 pts.)
AT SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (3-10-5; 14)
Noon Sunday, Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
TV: KONG 6/16.
Radio: 97.3 FM (in Spanish on 1210 AM).

Head-to-head: The Sounder won 2-0 on April 25, and 2-1 on June 13; both at Qwest Field.

Team leaders: For Seattle – G 9 Fredy Montero; A 6 Montero/Nate Jaqua; S 55 Montero; SOG 21 Montero. For San Jose – G 7 Ryan Johnson; A 5, Chris Leitch; S 43 Johnson; SOG 29 Johnson.

Coach Sigi Schmid scouting report: “They are probably a lot more desperate than most teams are in the league right now. … That makes them very dangerous because they know that they have got to maximize their points at home right now or else they have got no chance.”

Notes: With a win or a draw, Seattle will be awarded the inaugural Heritage Cup, to be given annually to the winner of head-to-head games between MLS teams playing under their historic NASL names. If San Jose wins by more than one goal, it would win the cup. If the Quakes win by one goal, that would create a tie settled by road goals. (Seattle’s first home win does not figure in Heritage Cup totals.) … This is the start of three straight league games on the road for Seattle. …. Fredy Ljungberg is ineligible due to receiving a red card in his last league game against Chicago. Brad Evans and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado will be suspended for their next league game if they pick up a caution today. … San Jose lists leading-scorer Johnson as questionable with a shoulder sprain. … In its last outing, San Jose ended a two-game losing streak, coming from two goals down to draw at home against D.C. United. However, the Quakes have gone four games without a victory. The Sounders are on a six-game unbeaten streak. … Sounders players James Riley and Roger Levesque are former Quakes.

Next: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, friendly vs. FC Barcelona; Qwest Field; ESPN2. No tickets remain.

That isn't any kind of personal statement on my part. Nor did I read it on a bumper sticker or in a fortune cookie or even on New Hampshire liscence plates.

That's the result from today's Women's Professional Soccer match at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.: FC Gold Pride 3, Washington Freedom 2.

I had never seen a WPS game in person before, and only a few on TV. So when I heard there was one today, I headed over to get a sneak peek at the site of Sunday's Sounders-Quakes game. (The stadium is no Qwest Field. It's also no Memorial Stadium. But it's only temporary while the Quakes arrange for a soccer-specific home of their own.)

The game was really good ... with each team coming from behind. The Pride took a 1-0 lead, then fell behind 2-1, then came back to win it in something like the 85th minute.

And the stars were out: Brandi Chastain and Tiffany Milbrett for the Pride, Abby Wambach for the Freedom. One thing about the small stadium is that I got a close look at the players, and Wambach is as powerful as she looks on TV, but probably even bigger. Huge and dominating.

Anyway, we can only hope for as entertaining a game Sunday.

Saturday has dawned, but the Sounders don't kick off until noon Sunday.

However, there's no shortage of interesting enough games today.

The two that most affect the Sounders (29 points) are DC United (28) at Houston (a league-leading 32); and Columbus (an East-leading 30) at Colorado (27).

Tonight, you can get a preview look at Barcelona, which is at the Rose Bowl to meet LA Galaxy.

You can follow along on any of the games at the MLS Match Center.