By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor

SAME TIME, LAST YEAR: The Quakes, mired in a scoring slump, stagger their way through the final few games of the regular season. Striker Brian Ching is injured. Playoff prospects are murky.

The scenario for this season? Yes, and last season as well.

San Jose scored just one goal in its last five regular-season games in 2003, then got hot and scored 12 goals — while conceding eight! — in postseason play on its way to the league title.

''We weren't scoring goals at the end of the last season last year, but we got it together in the playoffs,'' said forward Landon Donovan. ''Maybe we can do it again this year.''

Maybe. San Jose has scored only three goals in its past eight games, winning once, tying three and losing four.

The injury to Ching, who leads the team in scoring with 11 goals and four assists, has impaired the Quakes attack but just as critical is the poor form of Brian Mullan, who was second on the team in scoring last year with six goals and nine assists. This season, Mullan has three goals and six assists and hasn't put up a point since a 2-0 victory over Kansas City Aug. 14.

In Ching's absence, the Quakes have not been effective attacking through the air and teams have concentrated on stopping Donovan. Mullan's ineffectiveness has curtailed San Jose's traditional strengths of incisive counterattacks, breaking out quickly, and getting behind defenses.

San Jose hosts Kansas City Saturday. Ching, who has been suffering from a quadriceps strain, is listed as probable.

INTER-CITIES: The announcement Thursday that Reliant Stadium in Houston will host Interliga matches in January is the first official confirmation of the five venues that have been provisionally selected for the Mexican Libertadores Cup qualifying tournament.

Under a plan drawn up by Soccer United Marketing, Interliga matches will also be played in San Antonio, Phoenix, San Jose and the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Last year, Stockton and Dallas were used instead of Phoenix and San Antonio. Seven doubleheader dates drew a total attendance of 155,344, an average of 22,192 per date. Two Interliga dates in Houston drew crowds of 22,124 and 31,146, which ranked fourth and first, respectively, for the tournament. Two sellouts of 27,000 were announced at Home Depot.