Wednesday?s game on the big field at Livestrong Sporting Park promises to look nothing like Sunday?s scrappy match on a smaller patch of beaten down grass in Houston.
It will surely still be physical, but a surface more conducive to a skillful game will mean a little more soccer, a little less scuffling for 50-50 balls and scrapping for second balls.
Either way, Sporting KC has its work cut out. Goalkeeper Tally Hall and the Dynamo back line have a two-goal cushion thanks to Sunday?s win in Texas, so a draw will do for a highly confident Dynamo team that knows its way around the MLS playoffs. In fact, even a one-goal loss would suffice.
Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET, Livestrong Sporting Park, MLS Live
Houston leads the total goals series, 2-0
On the Houston Dynamo
- Houston is 5-1 in the playoffs over the last two years. Let that sink in.
- Dominic Kinnear?s team was just 3-9-5 on the road this year, with a minus-12 goal difference. But ? the Dynamo did go into Chicago last week and come out with well-managed win.
- More critical in framing this one is Houston?s relative success at Livestrong Sporting Park. They haven?t lost in three appearances since a 3-0 loss last year in Houston?s frist trip to 18-month-old stadium. Houston stunned SKC in last year?s Eastern Conference final and managed two draws at Livestrong this year.
- Hall was excellent in the September draw (1-1), making seven saves.
- He?ll need to be on his game again, especially if Jermaine Taylor can?t play. Bobby Boswell?s central partner along the back line limped out of Sunday?s contest and remains questionable, although he did train Tuesday before the team left Houston. Canadian international Andrew Hainault will man the position if Taylor cannot.
- Few central midfielders will cover as much ground over a match as Ricardo Clark, who sets up at the top of Houston?s midfield diamond, but drops reliably in alongside Adam Moffat as the opposition draws in closer to Houston goal.
- Kinnear, on his team?s subdued celebration following Sunday?s win and the understanding that nothing has been accomplished just yet: ?The music is not boucning off the wall in the locker room. These guys have been through this before. They know what?s happening. This series with Kansas City is 180 minutes and a lot can happen out there. ? We can?t let down.?
(MORE: Analysis of Sunday?s match)
On Sporting Kansas City
- Sporting Kansas City is the Eastern Conference champion and plenty of people within the league and close to it had circled K.C. as the site they suspected MLS Cup 2012 would land. That?s in some doubt now.
- The home team Wednesday suddenly has a hole to fill. Defensive midfielder Julio Cesar suffered a quadriceps injury late in Sunday?s 2-0 loss. Ordinarily, it wouldn?t be a huge blow because Paulo Nagamura could fill in quite capably. Except that he?s hurt too. So?
- SKC center backs Aurelien Collin and Matt Besler won more than their share of battles Sunday with Houston?s big stable of big forwards. (Although Collin picked a bad time to get stretched out of position, allowing himself to be turned en route to the Dynamo?s second goal).
- Striker C.J. Sapong contributed some adequate hold-up work to the effort, and he made the Houston center backs work. But wingers Jacob Peterson and Kei Kamara need to be better Wednesday.
- To win outright (without the extended period or penalty kicks) SKC will need to score three goals. How many times did they score more than two over a 34-game season? Just three times.
- Graham Zusi led the league with 15 assists this year; Houston?s Brad Davis tied for fourth with 12.
- Midfielder Roger Espinoza: ?It?s going to be very tough, but it?s not impossible. I?ve seen it happen many, many times. I don?t think I?ve been on a team before that?s done that, but it?s happened before. This is what we play for ? to make amazing things happen.?
(MORE: No excuses offered from Peter Vermes)
Bottom line:
It really is about the first goal Wednesday.
If Houston gets that one, Sporting Kansas City?s uphill climb goes from tough to something just this side of impossible. ?But if Sporting KC can turn up with the opener, the Blue Hell of Livestrong Sporting Park will be about as loud and blue as you can possibly imagine ? and it?s not hard to imagine a second goal dropping in short order as the energy, initiative and motivation soars.
Sporting Kansas City certainly has the ability to carve out a memorable night ? but it?s hard to bet against a cushioned, Kinnear-coached team in this one.
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