Sporting Kansas City will make its seventh consecutive postseason appearance when the club travels to face rivals Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference Knockout Round of the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs on Thursday at BBVA Compass Stadium. The match is slated for 8:30 p.m. CT, airing live on UniMas, FOX Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest.
As the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, Sporting Kansas City begins its playoff campaign on the road in the Knockout Round for the fourth consecutive year. Manager Peter Vermes' men hoisted the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup last month and will aim to become the first team to win the Open Cup and MLS Cup double since the 2005 LA Galaxy. No. 4 seed Houston, meanwhile, is making its first postseason appearance since 2013 and enters the contest on a six-game unbeaten run.
Thursday's showdown will be the fourth meeting between the clubs in all competitions this season and the third in the space of a fortnight. Sporting KC prevailed 2-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 on June 28, but the Dynamo exacted revenge with a 2-1 regular-season home victory on Oct. 11. The sides battled again last Sunday at Children's Mercy Park, settling for a 0-0 draw.
Sporting KC and Houston are no strangers in the playoffs, having met in three straight postseasons from 2011-2013. Houston emerged victorious in 2011 and 2012 as eventual MLS Cup runners-up before Vermes' side claimed victory in the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals.
The winner of the single-elimination match between Sporting KC and Houston will advance to face the Portland Timbers or Seattle Sounders FC in the two-legged Western Conference Semifinals. The other Western Conference Knockout Round fixture pits No. 3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC against No. 6 San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday.
The top-seeded Timbers will face the lowest-seeded Western Conference team that advances, while No. 2 Seattle will be matched against the highest-seeded Western Conference team that advances. The broadcast schedule for the Conference Semifinal series matches will be announced following the mid-week Knockout Round games.
If Sporting KC wins in Houston, the club will host the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals on Sunday, Oct. 29 or Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting KC Season Ticket Members who opted in for the playoffs will be contacted by their client service executive tomorrow morning. Single-game tickets for the potential home playoff match will go on sale to the general public tomorrow at noon CT via SeatGeek.com.
