Sporting KC

Sporting KC to play at Houston in first-round playoff match Thursday

Published Oct. 23, 2017 5:06 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Sporting Kansas City has considerable familiarity with Houston, its first-round playoff opponent. Now if it can just find a way to beat the Dynamo.

Sporting KC travels to Houston on Thursday to play the Dynamo, whom it has played twice already in the last two weeks, in the Western Conference Knockout Round. It lost 2-1 at Houston on Oct. 11 and played to a scoreless draw four days later in Kansas City. Sporting KC also played Houston in June, earning a 2-0 U.S. Open Cup win at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Even so, while the recent matches would figure to be equally advantageous for both sides, Sporting KC's Andrew Dykstra said the club should be able to build upon those experiences.

"We know what they do," Dykstra told sideline reporter Jillian Carroll after the club's season-ending 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake. "Having played them the last couple games, I think that's big because ... we're ready to put a game plan together."

Fifth-seeded Sporting KC will be making its seventh consecutive playoff appearance. Houston, seeded fourth, will end a three-year playoff drought and has not lost in its last six matches.

Coverage of the game begins at 8:30 p.m. Thursday on FOX Sports Kansas City and FOX Sports Midwest.

share

Get more from Sporting KC Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Sporting KC

MLS