Houston Dynamo vs Sporting Kansas City Final Score: Dynamo, Sporting draw game; clinch playoffs

After getting a win over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night the Houston Dynamo were in Kansas City to face them again on Sunday night. The rematch was also set to have big playoff implications. There were several ways for the Dynamo to clinch the playoff spot tonight against Sporting Kansas City. The easiest was for them to win over Sporting - win and they’re in. If the Dynamo lost or drew against Sporting they would need two of three (San Jose, Real Salt Lake and/or FC Dallas) Western Conference teams below them to lose.

The game started off with more fire from Houston than the game on Wednesday night. Alberth got off an early shot for the Dynamo but it went wide of goal. However, as the half wore on Sporting began to gain control of the game and the ball.

Graham Zusi nearly scored on a free kick in the 35th minute of the game but the ball went off the bar. Tyler Deric went up for the ball attempting to get to the shot from Zusi and then dove to stop ensuing rebound.

By the time the whistle blew for half time Sporting had gotten off eleven shots to Houston’s five. Deric had stopped five shots in the first half. Sporting dominated the ball in the first half and while Houston has been strong on the counter they had little chance to show off their abilities.

The second half started much the way the first ended with Tyler Deric standing on his head. It was once again Deric shutting down attempts from Feilhaber trying to get Sporting on the board.

As the game wore on tempers flared between AJ DeLaGarza and Deigo Rubio as well as between Roger Espinoza and Tomas Martinez. Both sets of players had to be pulled apart by teammates on more than one occasion.

At the end of the day it was Tyler Deric who earn the draw for the Dynamo. Sporting continued firing shots in the second half getting off 16 shots. The Dynamo defense struggled to shut down the Sporting offense. but Deric was able to stop shot after shot.

As time wound down on six minutes of stoppage time Tyler Deric once again preserved the draw for the Dynamo as he somehow got his left hand on the ball to keep Sporting from stealing a late win.

By the time the final whistle blew on the Dynamo game FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake has lost their games while San Jose earned a point in their game against Vancouver. Both the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City clinched their spots in the playoffs with the scoreless draw on Sunday night.

Next Sunday the Dynamo play their final game of the regular season when they host the Chicago Fire at BBVA Compass Stadium.

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