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Sporting KC Aims to End Houston's Home Unbeaten Streak on Sunday

May 10, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Sporting Kansas City News Release


Sporting Kansas City returns to the road after three consecutive home matches, traveling to Houston for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on Sunday at BBVA Compass Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on KSMO-TV, with coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. CT, as well as Sporting KC Television Network affiliates KZOU, WIBW, KMTW and MC22. Additionally, the MLS Week 11 finale will be available over the airwaves on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Gran D 1340 AM.

The teams will meet for the first time since the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs, when Houston ended Sporting KC's season for a second straight postseason en route to finishing MLS Cup runners-up. The rematch marks Sporting KC's third game played at Major League Soccer's newest stadium, which opened exactly one year ago on Sunday, and the club's second of four Sunday matches during the month of May.

This weekend's match comes two weeks before Houston and Kansas City face off again at Sporting Park on May 26 for a nationally televised clash between the Eastern Conference contenders. Tickets for that highly anticipated home fixture are available on Ticketmaster.com or at the Sporting Park box offices.

Houston is undefeated at BBVA Compass Stadium and boast a 30-game home unbeaten streak, the longest in MLS history. Their last home loss came on June 18, 2011 against the Columbus Crew at Robertson Stadium.In seven previous regular season matches in Houston, Sporting KC has earned only one victory which was the Dynamo's first ever loss at Robertson Stadium on April 8, 2006.

Last season, Sporting Kansas City faced the Houston Dynamo on five occasions in MLS competition, including a two-leg Eastern Conference semifinal series during the MLS Cup Playoffs. Sporting Kansas City dropped the first game 2-0 away and fell on aggregate after earning a 1-0 victory in the return match at Sporting Park.

Both clubs return all of their respective goal scorers from the 2012 series. Houston's Brad Davis, Calen Carr, Will Bruin and Adam Moffatt will once again be available for selection, along with Sporting KC's Kei Kamara, C.J. Sapong and Seth Sinovic. Kamara entered Sporting KC's match as a second half substitute on Wednesday, receiving a standing ovation upon his season debut after returning from his loan to Norwich City in the Barclays Premier League. Kamara played for the Dynamo during the 2008 and 2009 seasons prior to joining Kansas City.

Sporting KC will look to rebound four days after suffering a 1-0 loss to the Sounders, conceding the match-winner in the 94th minute. The game was Sporting Kansas City's fourth straight against Western Conference opponents, going 1-3-0 over the stretch.

Houston is coming off back-to-back road victories, winning 1-0 over the LA Galaxy last weekend and flying cross-country for a 4-0 dismantling of D.C. United, the largest road win in club history, on Wednesday. Third-year striker Will Bruin scored two goals and added two assists in Wednesday's win to lift the Dynamo into first place in the East, three points ahead of Sporting KC.

Designated Player Claudio Bieler leads the League in goals with six and U.S. Men's National Team winger Graham Zusi also sits atop the MLS tables with his four assists this season. Benny Feilhaber's three assists are tied for third in MLS with Houston's Brad Davis and the New York Red Bulls' Brandon Barklage.

Sporting Kansas City supporters can follow the match online via @SKCGameday on Twitter and the SportingKC.com/GameOn page or on mobile devices with the MLS MatchDay app . Additionally, fans outside the local viewing area can watch live on Direct Kick and MLS LIVE (available for a free trial on May 11 & 12).

Please note: Five-game 'Pick Plans' are now on sale for the 2013 MLS season at state-of-the-art Sporting Park, home of the 2013 AT&T MLS All-Star Game. Visit SportingKC.com or call 888-4KC-GOAL to reserve seats.


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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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