Saturday, November 23, 2013

Sporting Kansas City looks to win Eastern Conference Championship

SportingKC.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- After the conclusion of the international break, Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo return to the pitch for the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship.

The match, presented by Ivy Funds, is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT at sold-out Sporting Park. All fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:20 p.m. CT for special pregame festivities.

The match will be nationally televised on the NBC Sports Network and Univision Deportes. Fans can listen to the match on Sports Radio 810-WHB and La Gran D 1340 AM.

The winner of Saturday's match will advance to the 2013 MLS Cup and face the winner of the Western Conference Championship between the Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake. If Sporting KC advances to MLS Cup, they will host the championship match on Dec. 7 at Sporting Park.

Sporting KC and the Houston Dynamo enter Saturday's match tied 0-0 on aggregate after a scoreless draw in the first leg at BBVA Compass Stadium on Nov. 9. If the two teams are tied after 90 minutes on Saturday, they will play two fifteen-minute overtime periods followed by a penalty kick shootout, if necessary.

Sporting Kansas City advanced to the Conference Championship after defeating the New England Revolution 4-3 on aggregate in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Houston Dynamo advanced to their third consecutive Conference Championship after defeating the New York Red Bulls 4-3 on aggregate in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series.

Sporting Kansas City is undefeated against the Dynamo in 2013 including a victory at BBVA Compass Stadium on May 12 that ended Houston's record-long 36-game home unbeaten run.

Houston and Sporting KC met in the playoffs the past two years, with the Dynamo winning 2-0 in the 2011 Eastern Conference Final and 2-1 on-aggregate in the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Prior to Saturday's match, the Kansas City Cauldron will take over the Boulevard Members Club. The doors will open to all Cauldron Members, regardless of seat location, fans with Members Stand section tickets and the first 500 non-Members Stand Season Ticket Members at 3:30 p.m. CT.

There will be complimentary beer while supplies last and food and drink specials until kickoff. Parking lots will open at 3 p.m. CT.

In addition, there will be a chili bar in section 134 as well as gourmet hot chocolate available for purchase in sections 116 and 128.

For all in-game updates, visit www.SportingKC.com/GameOn or follow @SKCGameday on Twitter.