So they meet again.
Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo will take their rivalry into the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifth year when Manager Peter Vermes’ men visit BBVA Compass Stadium on Thursday for the Western Conference Knockout Round. Kickoff is set for 8:50 p.m. CT, with FOX Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest providing live coverage beginning at 8:30 p.m. CT.
The single-elimination showdown will serve as the seventh postseason battle between the clubs and the third head-to-head meeting in the space of a fortnight. Interestingly enough, both teams are seeking their first playoff victory since 2013, when Sporting KC ousted Houston in the conference finals prior to winning the MLS Cup.
In the space below, we revisit each of the six playoff matches between the bitter rivals. Houston holds an overall edge with three wins, but Sporting KC has managed two wins and a draw in each of the last three installments.
2007 Western Conference Championship (Nov. 10, 2007)
As the defending MLS Cup champions, Houston controlled proceedings from wire to wire with goals in either half from Nate Jaqua and Dwayne De Rosario. Kansas City mustered just three total shots — and none on goal — before a raucous crowd of 30,972 at Robertson Stadium in Houston. The Dynamo went on to hoist their second straight league title one week later.
2011 Eastern Conference Championship (Nov. 6, 2011)
Sporting KC’s meteoric rise up the standings in 2011 culminated with a first-place finish in the East and home-field advantage for the conference championship at their new, state-of-the-art stadium. With Children’s Mercy Park filled to the brim on a sunny November afternoon, an experienced Houston side showcased its playoff experience with a composed 2-0 victory. Andre Hainault struck early in the second half before Carlo Costly grabbed the second on a breakaway to dash Sporting KC’s dreams of their first MLS Cup appearance since 2000.
2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Leg One (Nov. 4, 2012)
Four days after beating the Chicago Fire in the Knockout Round, Houston hosted Sporting KC in the first playoff meeting between the sides held at BBVA Compass Stadium. Vermes’ side entered the contest as reigning U.S. Open Cup champions and the top seed in the East, but Adam Moffat and Will Bruin converted the Dynamo’s lone two shots on target to build a 2-0 aggregate lead.
2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Leg Two (Nov. 7, 2012)
Sporting KC dominated from start to finish, outshooting Houston 20-3 over the course of 90 minutes. The Dynamo backline held firm until the 64th minute, when Seth Sinovic scored his first professional goal to cut Sporting KC’s aggregate deficit in half.
That set the stage for a tense final half-hour in which the hosts laid siege on Houston’s goal. Despite their marked superiority throughout the night, Sporting KC was sent packing with a 2-1 aggregate defeat while Houston navigated their way to another MLS Cup appearance.
2013 Eastern Conference Championship – Leg One (Nov. 9, 2013)
A third consecutive postseason meeting was confirmed three days earlier, when Sporting KC and Houston both needed 30 minutes of extra time to dispose of the New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls in the conference semifinals, respectively.
A quick turnaround made for a cagey first leg at BBVA Compass Stadium as Vermes and Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear oversaw a delicately poised matchup. Neither side was able to find a breakthrough, leaving all to play for in the decisive second leg two weeks later.
2013 Eastern Conference Championship – Leg Two (Nov. 23, 2013)
On this bitterly cold November night at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting KC finally exorcised its Dynamo demons with a cathartic 2-1 victory. The start proved ominous, however, as Boniek Garcia fired Houston ahead after just three minutes. A savvy response came just 11 minutes later, however, as C.J. Sapong’s equalizer calmed nerves throughout the stadium and instilled belief that Sporting KC would get over the proverbial hump.
The defining moment of the match came near the hour-mark, when Benny Feilhaber’s sumptuous service was settled and tucked home by Dom Dwyer, giving the hosts a precious lead they wouldn’t relinquish. A fortnight later, Sporting KC hoisted the MLS Cup on home soil.
