SECOND LEG
HOUSTON DYNAMO v NEW YORK RED BULLS
Sun., Nov. 9, Robertson Stadium (2 p.m. CT; TeleFutura; MSG; Ch. 55)
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD:
NY 2 wins, 6 goals scored ... HOU 2 wins, 7 goals scored ... 2 ties
2008 HEAD-TO-HEAD: NY 1 win, 3 GF; HOU 1 win, 1 GF; 0 ties
AT ROBERTSON STADIUM:
8/24: HOU 1, NY 0 (Ching 68)
MLS CUP PLAYOFFS: NY 0 wins, 1 GF; HOU 0 wins, 1 GF; 1 tie
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo.
SAR (bench): Joe Fletcher; JAR (opposite): Sean Hurd;
4th: Alex Prus
INJURY REPORT: HOUSTON DYNAMO -- NONE REPORTED ... NEW YORK RED BULLS - OUT: MF Seth Stammler (R knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: DF Carlos Mendes (sports hernia)
SUSPENDED: NY: Jeff Parke, Jon Conway (SABH violation; through end of season)
WARNINGS (suspended next yellow card): HOU: Brian Mullan ... NY: Juan Pablo Angel; Dane Richards
DYNAMO: Each of the last two seasons, the Houston Dynamo have started off their playoff year with a loss -- falling to Chivas USA and FC Dallas. They were five minutes away from doing it again until Kei Kamara popped up for the first leg equalizer. "We've all been in this situation before and we came out of out it," Dwayne De Rosario said. "Being 1-0 down, we were willing to take that and go back to our place. All we needed to do was score one goal and our record at home speaks for itself. To get that goal in the end is another boost of confidence going home." ... The Dynamo have never lost at Robertson Stadium in postseason play. Since the club began in 2006, they've won all four MLS Cup Playoffs games at home, outscoring their rivals 11-2. Overall, home teams have gone 24-7-13 in conference semifinal matches since MLS adopted the two-leg format in 2003. In the 2008 regular season, the Dynamo lost at home just once, while the Red Bulls had one road win on the season. "You look at the draw, does it favor us?" Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear asked. "In a way, but only on paper because you still have to play the game." ... Since allowing two goals in the first postseason match, a 2-1 loss to Chivas USA in 2006, the Houston Dynamo have not allowed more than one goal in any of their last eight playoff games. "We spoke about it before that it was usually the tie that is decided in the second game. The first game being a blowout is quite rare, I think," Kinnear said. "So, I think we knew that even when it was 1-0, we knew to make sure to keep our shape, make sure we stayed disciplined, and we're still going to continue attacking to try and get a goal because 2-0 is much harder to overcome than 1-0." ... Still, Kinnear made three essentially attacking changes late in the game. While they were all straight changes, Kei Kamara, Stuart Holden and Geoff Cameron came in to provide attacking thrust. "It's a great result for us. I mean it could have been 1-0, but to get that tie is just great, especially when it comes from guys coming off the bench to create that, like Stuart and Kei," De Rosario said. "It just shows that everyone is ready; everyone wants to play a big part and it's just nice to see."
RED BULLS: Playing for Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio means one simple fact: there are no automatic starting positions. And so, for the first leg, midseason additions Jorge Rojas and Juan Pietravallo were not in the first team. Rojas did not play at all; Pietravallo was a late substitute. "I am not afraid to make changes and there are no automatic choices in this team. And whoever is playing well and whoever is showing me that is willing to play for this team and they are willing to play 100 percent, then they will play," Osorio said. ... However, that also means it could be a completely changed team for the second leg. "They are all in the mix," Osorio said. "The one thing is, you never know with injuries. ... We'll try different starting lineups and by Saturday we will decide who is starting." ... That mean Luke Sassano and Sinisa Ubiparipovic started together in the midfield for the first time since April 27. For Ubiparipovic, it was his first start since Sept. 6, while Sassano was in the starting XI for the first time since Aug. 17. "I thought Luke had a phenomenal game. His work rate was incredible, he cut off a lot of plays and kept the ball for us, which was great, and a guy like Sinisa, who hasn't played in a while, played well, got forward and created chances and really covered a lot of ground," said John Wolyniec. ... Wolyniec himself was put into the lineup for the first time since Sept. 13 and just the second time in the second half of the season. "I think that John brought all his attributes, he did it and he helped Juan (Pablo Angel) to compete against two of the best defenders in the league," Osorio said. "And at the end he was probably, with a little bit of more luck and he would have scored that goal then he would have rounded off a very good game." ... The Red Bulls have gone six postseason games without a victory. Their last playoff win came Oct. 22, 2005, a 1-0 win against New England at Giants Stadium; they've lost three and tied three since. Away from the Meadowlands, it's been even longer since the New York club has won -- not since Sept. 20, 2000, a 2-1 win against Dallas. They are 0-6-3 since; 1-9-3 all-time away from Giants Stadium. "We stepped up to their physical play and we matched them. They're supposed to be one of the best teams in MLS, if not [the best team]," Dane Richards said. "We matched them. We almost won, five minutes left we gave up a goal. Hopefully, we can do the same at their home with a different end result."
