While the Seattle Sounders have the advantage after winning a first leg for the first time in franchise history, FC Dallas insists it's feeling just fine back home.
The Sounders look to knock out FC Dallas for the second straight postseason and reach the Western Conference semifinals for the third time in four years Sunday when the West's regular-season champs try to advance by continuing their dominance at Toyota Stadium.
Fourth-seeded Seattle extended its unbeaten streak to 11 games (7-0-4) dating back to August by pulling off a late rally in the first leg of this conference semifinal last Sunday.
Dallas was nursing a lead after Fabian Castillo's early goal before Andreas Ivanschitz scored the equalizer in the 67th minute and Clint Dempsey - dropped from the U.S. squad ahead of its initial World Cup qualifiers next week - provided the winner with just four minutes remaining in regulation for a 2-1 victory at CenturyLink Field.
Dempsey, who has 12 goals and 10 assists, has scored in his last three postseason matches.
"We're fighting for our survival," the 32-year-old midfielder told the team's official website. "We're showing our character, showing how much we want to do well in this competition. This (MLS Cup) is the trophy that we haven't won, and we're looking to try to capture it."
A draw or a win would send them through, though the Sounders can also advance if they lose by one goal but score at least two because of the road-goal tiebreaker. Following a seven-game away skid from June 6-Aug. 22, Seattle has picked up at least a point in its last four (1-0-3).
The club is also 2-0-1 versus Dallas this season, 9-2-4 in the last 15 meetings and 3-2-5 all-time at Toyota Stadium. The Sounders, however, have won just one road playoff game in eight tries.
"We're going to go to win there," coach Sigi Schmid said. "I think if you go to win, sometimes you come out with a tie. If you go for a tie, sometimes you come out with a loss. We're going to go to win, and if a tie is the end result, we'll be happy with that."
Dallas, however, remains confident given the success it has had at Toyota Stadium. It had a league-best 13-2-2 home record and has won 10 of its past 11 games there across all competitions.
The club, which has won five straight at home by a 12-3 margin, needs a 1-0 or multi-goal win, or a 2-1 win plus victory in extra time to advance to its first West final since 2010.
"We're feeling fine," said Matt Hedges, a Defensive Player of the Year finalist. "1-1 would've been better, but at 2-1 we still have to come here and win which we would've been planning on doing anyways so that result is fine. We're ready to come back here and do the business."
Midfielder Mauro Diaz, who assisted on Castillo's first career playoff goal last weekend, has been a catalyst with six goals and seven assists over his last 13 matches.
He'll try to take advantage of a Seattle back line that could be missing Brad Evans for a second straight game due to a hamstring injury. Defender Leo Gonzalez (adductor strain) and midfielder Osvaldo Alonso (groin) are also questionable for the Sounders.
''This team has character,'' Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said. ''It has shown during the whole season that we have that and I don't have any doubt that we will get a result (at home).''
