One step closer.
Sporting Kansas City has reached the Western Conference Championship of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, where they will face the Portland Timbers in a two-game, aggregate-goal series to decide which club advance to MLS Cup 2018.
Manager Peter Vermes’ side will hit the road for the first leg next Sunday, Nov. 25, before hosting the second leg on Thursday, Nov. 29. Tickets for the decisive showdown at Children’s Mercy Park, slated for 8:30 p.m. CT, are now available at SeatGeek.com.
With more than a week remaining until the conference finals unfold, we have plenty of time to take a deep breath before the proverbial plunge. In the space below, SportingKC.com gives readers a history lesson of Kansas City’s past performances in conference championships. The club has experienced mixed fortunes at this stage of the postseason, winning three and losing four.
1996: Lost to LA Galaxy in 2 games
The inaugural MLS postseason featured a best-of-three format with shootouts deciding winners in the case of a tie. Kansas City fell to the Galaxy 2-1 at the Rose Bowl before losing on penalties in a 1-1 draw at Arrowhead Stadium.
2000: Defeated LA Galaxy in 3 games
The decisive third game of the 2000 conference finals saw Kansas City’s Miklos Molnar score early in a 1-0 victory over LA that forced sudden-death extra time to decide the series winner. Mo Johnston then assisted Molnar’s golden goal in the 96th minute to send the Wizards to their first MLS Cup.
2003: Lost to San Jose Earthquakes 3-2
In one of the most heartbreaking playoff defeats in team history, Sporting KC took two separate second-half leads in San Jose only to be pegged back. The game looked destined for penalties until the 117th minute, when a man named Landon Donovan notched the golden goal in extra time.
2004: Defeated LA Galaxy 2-0
In the fourth playoff meeting between Kansas City and LA, Davy Arnaud was the star of the show. The midfielder scored in both halves to lead the Wizards to a 2-0 victory at Arrowhead Stadium, giving the club its second conference championship win over the Galaxy.
2007: Lost to Houston Dynamo 2-0
Kansas City never really had a chance in this one. They mustered just three shot attempts as Houston scored in either half to end the Wizards’ season just shy of the MLS Cup.
2011: Lost to Houston Dynamo 2-0
Sporting KC had pulled off a thrilling ascendance from last place to first place throughout the 2011 campaign, using newly opened Children’s Mercy Park as its hallowed fortress. But an experienced Houston side stopped Sporting KC short in the Eastern Conference Championship, the first of three straight postseason meetings between the sides.
2013: Defeated Houston Dynamo 2-1 on aggregate
After falling to Houston in the previous two postseasons, Sporting KC exacted sweet revenge with a 2-1 triumph at Children’s Mercy Park. Following a scoreless first leg in Houston, C.J. Sapong scored early and Benny Feilhaber assisted Dom Dwyer’s second-half winner as Sporting KC punched their ticket to the MLS Cup.
