NOTEBOOK: Dominic downplays Dynamo showdown

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — Not long ago, Dominic Oduro was struggling to find a starting spot in MLS.

But everything changed when he came from Houston to
Chicago’s speed-oriented team last season
, and he answered the bell by scoring 12 goals for the Fire in 2011.
The Dynamo come to Toyota Park to play the Fire on Sunday (6 pm CT, CSN Chicago, Galavision), but Oduro doesn’t see this game as any different than any other game.
Faster Than FreakyFast?




“Of course I’m going against my former team,” he said. "I know a lot of people are wanting to find out whether I’m really psyched about this, but the answer is that I have to be psyched about every game."
Oduro feels comfortable in Chicago, where he teams with Ghanaian forward Patrick Nyarko. The duo forms one of the fastest strike partnerships in the league.
“Houston is history right now for me,” Oduro said. “Now I’m living in the present and the Chicago Fire. We’re just trying to get points against a team in our conference. I just see it as us playing an MLS team.”
Gargan ready to go
Defender Dan Gargan is healthy after sitting the Fire’s last game against Colorado on April 1.
He should be back in the starting lineup against Houston, allowing Logan Pause to move back into his normal midfield position.
 “It seems like [Gargan] should be ready to go,” head coach Frank Klopas said. “He felt pretty good. He should be ready for Sunday.”
Other injury news
Cory Gibbs has a timetable of
four to six months to return from his torn meniscus
, and Klopas thinks he’ll be able to return sometime this season.
“I hope so,” Klopas said. “He’s always taking care of his body. I’m very optimistic that he will be back.”
Federico Puppo was held out of practice for precautionary reasons after his hamstring felt tight during warm-ups.