Sporting Kansas City renews its rivalry with the Houston Dynamo on Friday in Kansas City, Kan.
The Eastern Conference match will kick off at 7 p.m. on NBCSN. Additional coverage can be found on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Gran D 1340 AM.
The match will mark the 50th consecutive MLS sellout at Sporting Park. A limited number of standing room only tickets remain available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or at the Sporting Park Box Offices on Friday.
Sporting KC and the Dynamo have met on 15 occasions in all competition since 2011, making it the most played matchup among MLS teams over the last four seasons. Five of those 15 matches have come during the MLS Cup Playoffs, where the teams have met the past three seasons. The Dynamo eliminated Sporting KC in 2011 and 2012 before Peter Vermes’ squad prevailed 2-1 on aggregate in their journey to hoisting the 2013 MLS Cup trophy.
Sporting KC is 7-9-9 all-time against the Houston Dynamo in MLS competition (including playoffs), but is unbeaten in seven straight meetings dating back to 2012. During the seven-match unbeaten run against the Dynamo, Sporting KC has posted five clean sheets and allowed just two goals.
Sporting Kansas City and Houston have already met once in 2014. Sporting KC earned a 2-0 victory at BBVA Compass Stadium in June despite playing a man down for the majority of the match after referee Juan Guzman handed Sporting KC midfielder Antonio Dovale a straight red card.
Houston is 1-10-1 on the road this season with seven goals scored and 29 goals allowed, while Sporting KC is 5-2-6 at home this season. Both teams are coming off 3-0 losses in their most recent matches, but Sporting Kansas City remains only one point back of D.C. United for the Eastern Conference lead.
Friday’s match could feature up to four players who started for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup: Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, DaMarcus Beasley and Brad Davis. Beasley started and played 90 minutes in his first three matches since joining Houston in late July, but the Designated Player missed Houston’s last match and is listed as questionable with a left hamstring strain.
Follow the match online at SportingKC.com/GameOn or via Twitter @SKCGameday.
– Story from Sporting KC