Brian Ching and Brad Davis led host Houston to the MLS Western Conference finals last night, scoring in overtime after the Dynamo beat FC Dallas, 2-1, in regulation which tied the two-game, total-goals series and forced the extra periods.

The Dynamo will face the winner of today's Kansas City-CD Chivas USA series.

Stuart Holden and Ching, a Kamehameha School alum from Hawai'i, scored second-half goals to help Houston win the game 2-1, tying the series at 2. Dallas won the opener 1-0 last Saturday.

That sent the game into two 15-minute extra periods. Ching scored in the fifth minute of the first overtime off an assist from Joseph Ngwenya. Barely 5 minutes later, Davis got a free kick from 20 yards out and sailed it over goalkeeper Ray Burse's head.

The Dynamo won the series by an aggregate score of 4-2.

Carlos Ruiz had a first-half goal for Dallas.

TENNIS

NADAL ADVANCES IN PARIS

Rafael Nadal beat Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-4, 6-2 yesterday to reach the Paris Masters semifinals and take a step closer to a rematch against David Nalbandian.

Nadal, who lost to Nalbandian two weeks ago in the Madrid Masters, next plays Marcos Baghdatis.

"The last two matches were very good," Nadal said. "Especially today, I played very good."

Baghdatis, who beat Tommy Robredo, 6-4, 6-4, said he's not looking forward to playing Nadal, who has won all four matches they've played and taken all but one set.

"Honestly I'm just unable to play against Nadal," Baghdatis said.

Nalbandian will play 10th-seeded Richard Gasquet after Gasquet beat 15th-seeded Andy Murray of Britain, 6-3, 0-6, 6-4.

AUTO RACING

EDWARDS NEARS TITLE

Carl Edwards has a good starting spot for the race that can clinch his NASCAR Busch Series title.

Edwards had a fast lap of 190.745 mph last night to qualify third for the O'Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Edwards only has to finish today's race 36th or better to clinch the season title with two races still left after that.

Edwards has 19 top-10 finishes this season and has finished below 36th only once.

BOXING

TWO AMERICANS IN FINAL

Days before the World Boxing Championships began in Chicago, Rau'shee Warren guaranteed he'd make the finals. Yesterday, he delivered.

Trailing by a point in the second round, Warren didn't worry about a sore right shoulder that has bothered him the last three matches. He landed a solid right against Azerbaijan's Samir Mammadov, then took off, using his quickness and counter punching.

Warren won the final three points of the round for a 12-9 lead, took control with a 10-2 third and finished off a 26-13 victory in the flyweight semifinals.

He was joined in the finals by American teammate, Demetrius Andrade, who defeated Turkey's Adem Kilicci, 22-6, in a welterweight semifinal.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Finland's Laura Lepisto won the women's short program in Skate Canada at Quebec City, finishing with 59.18 points last night, while France's Brian Joubert topped the leaderboard in the men's short program with 78.05. ... Laura Davies shot a 7-under 65 in windy conditions at the Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club course in Shima, Japan, for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the JLPGA Mizuno Classic. ... Right fielder Bobby Abreu's $16 million option for next season was exercised yesterday by the New York Yankees.