Red Bulls Prepare for a Seasoned Rival Rob Tringali The Red Bulls" Peguy Luyindula, center, a forward throughout his career, has thrived as a midfielder. HANOVER, N.J. - On their last trip to Texas, only two weeks ago, the Red Bulls" game against the Houston Dynamo was over moments after it started. Tim Cahill's goal seven seconds into the game, a record in Major League Soccer, set the tone in a 3-0 Red Bulls victory on Oct. 20. That was then. This is the playoffs. The Red Bulls open a two-game, home-and-home, total-goals Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Sunday (kickoff at 3:50 p.m. Eastern; NBCSN). "We're going to face a team that's used to going to the final," the Red Bulls captain Thierry Henry said after training on Friday. They have more experience in terms of the playoffs and we know they are usually turning it on. We need to find a way to beat them, and it's not going to be an easy task. Though Houston needed a victory over Montreal on Wednesday night in the play-in game, the Dynamo have played in the past two M.L.S. Cup finals, losing both times to David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and the Los Angeles Galaxy. Over all, Houston has been to four of the past seven championship games, winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. This season, the Red Bulls have owned Houston, winning all three regular-season meetings and outscoring the Dynamo, 9-1. "All I can do is reiterate to my guys that this will be a completely different game," Red Bulls Coach Mike Petke said. For me, it's about our mentality. This season we've gone into places like Houston, Kansas City and Seattle with the right approach, and that's what's got us this far this year. Strong play in those road games, including two wins at Houston, as well as an 11-2-4 record at Red Bull Arena, helped the Red Bulls secure the club's first silverware - the Supporters Shield, which goes to the No. 1 team over all during the regular season. The Red Bulls clinched the top spot in last week's 5-2 victory against Chicago and could host the M.L.S. Cup should they advance. The win over Chicago was partly propelled by the play of Peguy Luyindula, who led the attack with three assists in a relatively new position for him in the midfield. "They came to me and asked if I could play this position because of my ability to hold the ball and dribble, and that was what the team needed," Luyindula, a 34-year-old French citizen, said. I said it would be my pleasure. I played this position when I was young at the Niort academy. It is easier to play when you have the game in front of you. Luyindula started only nine games this season, and though he was the man of the match against the Fire, Henry said Luyindula played even better in the 1-1 tie at Seattle on Sept. "For me, that was his best game by far," Henry said. Against Chicago, he had so much room because they played with seven strikers. But if you really watch the Seattle game, no one notices the turn he makes before he passes to Jonny, because the average player goes the other way and passes back. For me, that was his best game, by a distance. Henry was referring to midfielder Jonny Steele. Petke declined to say if Luyindula would play the same role at Houston, though he was effusive in his praise after last Sunday's game. "Peguy has really retooled certain things, and he knows we're looking at him more as a midfielder because of his ability to hold the ball for us and his vision," Petke said. I think that his days as a forward - it's a very different league here than what he's used to. I think he's so comfortable on the ball and his vision is so good, and I didn't think he had the best first 45 minutes of the game, along with almost everybody. But you look at him in Houston, and Seattle particularly, dropping back there, and his ability to turn and play penetrating balls to split the defenders is great. The Red Bulls enter the match on an eight-game unbeaten streak. Houston lost only once (to the Red Bulls) in its last seven regular-season games, but will have to play Sunday's game without Coach Dominic Kinnear. Kinnear was suspended by the league on Friday for leaving the sideline during a melee late in the win over Montreal and has been barred from the locker room and team bench for Game 1. "Some people will talk about the two times we won at their place, but it's going to be totally different," Henry said. I have a lot of respect for them because they know how to do it in the playoffs. We still don't. For me, they are the favorite. We have to have a go at them, but it will be tough. The return match is scheduled for Wednesday night.