MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Sporting Kansas City doubles up on Houston

Published on November 24, 2013 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


Sporting Kansas City forward Dom Dwyer scored midway through the second half and the hosts held off the Houston Dynamo for a 2-1 win to capture the Eastern Conference Championship by a 2-1 aggregate score on Saturday night at Sporting Park.

The Dynamo fell short of reaching the MLS Cup Final for a third consecutive season and fifth time overall in eight seasons. Houston's season ends after the club reached its sixth conference championship in eight seasons.

After a scoreless first leg in Houston on Nov. 9, the Dynamo seized an early lead through midfielder Boniek Garcia. The scoring play began on a Houston counterattack with an outlet pass from Bobby Boswell to Brad Davis, who found Andrew Driver on the left flank. Driver delivered a service into the penalty area that eventually fell to Davis, who headed the ball across the top of the box for Garcia.

Garcia feigned a shot and slid the ball past Seth Sinovic before driving a low shot that deflected off Matt Besler and over goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen for an opening goal in the third minute.

The third-minute goal was the fastest playoff goal in Dynamo history, surpassing Andre Hainault's goal in the fifth minute at Philadelphia on Oct. 30, 2011.

It was Garcia's second goal of this postseason and third career playoff goal. He is tied with Davis and Hainault for third on the franchise list for playoff goals.

Garcia also scored a goal is last season's Eastern Conference Championship road leg at D.C. United, the opening goal in a 1-1 draw.

It was Davis' ninth career playoff assist to move into a tie for eighth on the MLS all-time playoff assist list with Javier Morales, Brian Mullan and Andy Williams.

11 minutes after Garcia's opening goal, Sporting Kansas City struck for the equalizer. Midfielder Benny Feilhaber made a forward run through traffic and the ball deflected off defender Bobby Boswell into the path off C.J. Sapong, who slotted his chance into the net for the equalizing goal.

The Dynamo had a chance to regain the lead in the 30th minute. Driver hustled and slid to win the ball in the middle of the field before feeding a pass to Corey Ashe on the left flank. The left back drove into the penalty area and slid a cross to Cam Weaver, who fired wide of the goal from 10 yards.

Sporting KC found the series-winning goal in the 63rd minute. Graham Zusi broke through the midfield before playing a pass to Feilhaber, who charged toward the box before lofting a pass to Dwyer, who cut the ball to his left foot before finishing his chance from 15 yards for a 2-1 lead.

Seeking the equalizer, Ashe sent a well-struck shot from 25 yards that forced a falling save from Nielsen.

Sporting KC preserved the lead to defeat the Dynamo for the first time in their postseason history. Houston defeated Kansas City in the playoffs in 2007, 2011 and 2012.

Saturday's defeat was the first time this season the Dynamo lost a game after scoring the first goal. Houston was 14-0-3 when scoring the first goal in a game this season (including playoffs), a .912 win percentage.

The Dynamo fell to 4-2 all-time in conference finals, with victories in 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2012. The only other conference final defeat was in 2009 against the LA Galaxy.

Houston played without midfielder Ricardo Clark and forward Will Bruin. Both players suffered an injury in the first leg of the series.

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