Pre/PBP/Post: PLAYOFFS: Houston Dynamo v. Kansas City, Sunday, Nov. 4

Who: Houston Dynamo v. Sporting Kansas City, Eastern Conference Semifinals, Leg 1
When: Sunday, November 4 @ 2:30 PM CST
Where: BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX
Records: Sporting Kansas City (18-7-9) 63 PTS, 1st place in EAST
Houston Dynamo (14-9-11) 53 PTS, 5th in EAST
TV: NBC (KPRC-2)
Radio: 950/850

This is the first leg of a home-and-away series between the two teams. Total goals decides the series. There is no away goal rule in MLS.

These two teams have met twice in the MLS postseason. The Dynamo won both games: 2-0 in the Western Conference final on 11/10/07 in Houston and 2-0 in the Eastern Conference final on 11/06/11 in Kansas City. Houston won the regular season series between the teams this year, 1-0-2. The two teams drew both games in KC, 0-0 in July and 1-1 in September, while the Dynamo won their only home game, 2-1, on July 18.

Sporting are 2-0-3 in their last five games with 5 goals scored and only 2 allowed. On the road this year KC is 8-5-4 with a goal difference of +5. Sporting beat Philly, 2-1, in their most recent game back on October 24.

Houston is 3-1-1 in the last five games against league opponents with 8 goals scored and 5 allowed. The Dynamo are 11-0-6 at home this year with a +19 goal difference.

Don't forget to change your clocks Saturday night!

Kansas City @ Houston, all-time:

04/08/06 HOU 1-2 KCW
09/01/07 HOU 1-1 KCW
11/10/07 HOU 2-0 KCW, playoffs
09/07/08 HOU 3-1 KCW
10/04/09 HOU 1-1 KCW
05/01/10 HOU 3-0 KCW
04/06/11 HOU 0-1 SKC (aet), U.S. Open Cup qualifier @ College Station
07/16/11 HOU 1-1 SKC
07/18/12 HOU 2-1 SKC

4-2-3 overall with 14 goals scored and 8 allowed.

A win this weekend, and a convincing one is needed. The team needs to build on the momentum they have achieved and get fully caught up in the mania of the playoffs. Carrying a 2-goal lead back into KC sure would make me feel better about the return leg.

I will say, though, that KC does not want to play us and they definitely don't want to play us in Houston. Let's make sure that Sunday is not the day we drop a game for the first time at home. I know I'll be singing and clapping extra loud.

emphasis is mine.

KEI KAMARAVerified‏@keikamara

And the playoffs just got interesting. Always a battle playing against houston dynamo.#SkcNation let's Go.

I don't view having a huge lead going back to KC as mandatory. I think we need to win on Sunday, but this squad is not intimidated playing at KC.

They won't admit it, but you know Vermes would have rather faced Chicago than us.

Are the Davis and Hall cards wiped out?

I am starting to get annoyed by these, "We have KC's number" stuff. Humility is what got us through Chicago. Let's not forget who we are. We can win the Club World Cup by beating Barcelona 7-0 and still return the next season as underdogs. I like that about us. Nobody expects us to win anything, so we always shock them. Noodle Time and humility will get us through this, and maybe some goals...those would help, too.

I've seen this question asked a few times but I can't find the answer. I know they changed the rule so that card accumulation can't get you suspended for the Cup final (as happened to Rico in 2006) but I don't know if that is true all the way through the playoffs.

Steve Davis at Pro Soccer Talk posted a snippet about the cards last night and any yellow for Davis or Hall prior to the second leg of the Eastern final will result in a suspension. So it appears the only change was to make it so no player misses the final on card accumulation.

I recall on 2009 Onstad picked up an early yellow in a scrum with Montero and had to watch it in the next game. I actually think Hall is at greater risk because refs love to throw the time-wasting cards out in playoffs.

He could just have various defenders take goal kicks for him in the second half

I never took you for being religious, Ponce.

Noodology is my religion, discovered it last night,truefact.

Tell me more about noodle time. I am missing something in my life.

Everybody in the media is crowning them! Couldn't think of a better team to face and beat them and stop all those silly predictions. We have nothing to lose since according to everybody SKC is the team to beat. There will be over 22K fans in the stadium that will think differently. I hope the crowd goes wild for 90+ minutes!!!

I have no regrets for Davis having card or even getting another yellow next match becuase it was / is worthy and necessary for tactical reasons during the game.

No regrets, leave it all out on the field for each and every game from now on.

No stupid yellows though if it isn't necessary.

I think now is a good time for a sermon. Would Reverend CougarClaws care to lead the congregation?

no but I would like to be up or two going back to their place. Nielson will be the key to the series IMHO-that guy gets hot and it's lights out especially at Live like your Doping Park. So I think it's important to have a goal or two in your back pocket going up there.

BTW-where's that ball boy who got carded a few years ago for screwing with him. We gotta get that kid back and working that endline (he's probably like 17 years old now). That's a home field advantage.

Just acquired my ticket. Now, I just need to release the hunger of a thousand dragons upon the pre-game burrito.

Inappropriate choice of words for a playoff discussion.

yah, I realized that after I posted it.

Lest we forget... This is how we look in Sporting KC

Noodle time does not change. it's always noodle time.

epic weekend ahead.

The weather for Sunday's match is mid-80s. So it's still feels like summer-type heat and that's an advantage for the Dynamo because they are used to playing in those conditions, not for the Sporks.

SKC has 10 days of rest. I don't know if that would be an advantage for them, might be some rustiness come Sunday. I mean I saw that in the World Series, Detroit comes off a 4-game sweep while San Francisco played a full 7-game series. The result was a 4-game sweep by San Francisco. So this may happen in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

I think that there is truth in that. Momentum helps.

I think we will come out strong this game, but the return to KC for the 3rd game in 7 days in 3 different cities will be tough. I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of changes in the lineup just to make sure we have the legs in that all important take home game.