Dynamo and SKC set to battle for place in Western Conference final
(image via Aldo Canale)
After eliminating Real Salt Lake in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Houston Dynamo are on to the Western Conference semifinal where they will host old foe Sporting Kansas City. The Dynamo needed penalty kicks in the decisive Game 3 to see of RSL and book their place into this round. SKC took out number one seed St. Louis CITY SC in two games, continuing their hot streak to close the regular season. Houston and Sporting have met three times this season with the Dynamo winning in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup play. The teams played to a 2-2 draw this year in Houston and SKC won 2-1 on their home field in league play.
When: Sunday, November 26 | 6:09 PM CT kickoff
Where: Shell Energy Stadium; Houston, Texas
TV/Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, FS1
Radio: ESPN 97.5 FM (English), TUDN Deportes Houston 93.3 FM (Spanish), SiriusXM
Rivalry renewed
Houston and Kansas City have played some big playoff games in the past and tonight will mark the latest chapter. Not many picked the Dynamo to be in this situation at the beginning of the year and Sporting struggled early this season in what looked like a lost campaign. Now the two teams come into this match red hot. It’s going to be a battle, as any knockout game is, and the Dynamo know they’re up for a fight. “We prepare the way we prepare, and it seems to be a good recipe for these guys,” head coach Ben Olsen said this week. “The staff does a great job of preparing our squad physically and mentally. It’s really about buttoning up who we are and making sure we’re clear on Kansas City's strengths and weaknesses. Both teams know who they are at this point, so there’s no sense in overthinking it. Both teams will have high energy. It’s going to be combative and physical. All of those things get revved up in the playoffs.”
Attention, please
Dynamo fans have long wanted more attention on the club, both from within Houston and nationally. This playoff run is helping achieve that. Olsen and the team know they still are considered underdogs by most pundits and are working to win back the fans in their own city. The lights are birghter in the playoffs and the Dynamo will be ready. “It’s a very good thing,” Olsen said about the national attention the team is getting. “That's part of this process to get more eyes on this club. That is part of our job right now. Winning helps with that. The guys have embraced it. That’s not an issue with this team. We have a lot of players that have been in the media throughout their careers. We've got some guys that have been in these moments and have had a bunch of microphones in their face.”
Avoid penalty kicks
The Dynamo had to go to penalty kicks in Game 2 and 3 against Real Salt Lake, losing one and winning one. If tonight’s match is tied the game will go to 30 minutes of extra time and then penalty kicks. Sporting won their Wild Card round match in penalties and they have won of the best to ever to it in shootouts in goal in Tim Melia. Melia has never lost a penalty shootout in his career and has an uncanny ability to make the right choice to save opposition kicks. If this game goes to extra time, look for the Dynamo to push for a goal and avoid having to face Melia from the spot to decide their playoff fate.
Houston Dynamo – Out: Ifunanyachi Achara (knee), Tate Schmitt (knee)
Sporting Kansas City – Out: Kortne Ford (Achilles), Logan Ndenbe (ACL), Kayden Pierre (hamstring), Felipe Gutierrez (knee); Questionable: Dany Rosero (face)
Predicted Lineup
