Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching was voted Major League Soccer’s Player of the Week for Week 28 of the 2008 season.  Ching scored two goals on Saturday, lifting the Dynamo to a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids.  With the win, Houston (11-5-10) became the second MLS team to clinch a berth for the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Both teams went into Saturday’s game riding four-game undefeated streaks in League play, but it was Houston’s offensive burst that set the tone early.  Ching capitalized on a poor clearance by Rapids’ goalkeeper Preston Burpo, shooting the ball into an open net in the second minute.  Colorado momentarily tied the game on a Conor Casey goal in the seventh minute.Just two minutes later, Ching scored his second goal of the night when he get got on the end of a Ricardo Clark cross and headed the ball into the crossbar. The ball bounced directly back off the bar, hit Ching in the chest and dropped into the goal for his 12^th goal of the season.

Ching provided the assist on Houston’s third goal when he found Clark open at the top of the penalty area. He laid the ball off and Clark struck a low curling shot inside the right post past a sprawling Burpo from 20 yards out. The goal sealed the victory for Houston and extended their unbeaten streak to five games.  Houston, Columbus and New England are the only three teams to have clinched a playoff spot.  Houston is looking to win its third consecutive MLS Cup.

This is Ching’s second Player of the Week honor this season and the fourth of his career.  He began his MLS career in 2001, playing in eight games for the Galaxy, including two playoff appearances.  After playing the entire 2002 season with the USL’s Seattle Sounders, Ching returned to MLS in 2003 with the San Jose Earthquakes. He has recorded 56 goals in seven MLS seasons and his12 goals this season equal his career high.  Houston begins a three-game home stand on Sunday, Oct. 12 when they face D.C. United at 6 p.m. ET.

The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from The North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.