Postgame Notes: Houston Dynamo 1, Sporting Kansas City 0

THE WIN:

• Advanced the Dynamo to the Western Conference Semifinals in the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs against the Portland Timbers.
• Improved the Dynamo’s all-time playoff record to 16-8-5.
• Improved the Dynamo to 5-1 all-time in playoff games that go into extra time.
• Improved the Dynamo’s playoff record against Sporting Kansas City to 4-2-1.
• Improved the Dynamo to 4-1 all-time against Sporting Kansas City in postseason series.

DYNAMO STARTING XI (4-3-3):

• Tyler Deric; Adolfo Machado, Philippe Senderos, Leonardo, DaMarcus Beasley; Ricardo Clark (C), Juan David Cabezas, Tomás Martínez; Alberth Elis, Erick Torres, Alex

TEAM NOTES:

• The Dynamo played their 29th all-time postseason game tonight. That is the most by any MLS club since the start of the 2006 season. Houston entered the game tied with the LA Galaxy with 28 postseason games played during that time span.
• Seven members of the Starting XI made their playoff debuts tonight, and three others made their Dynamo postseason debuts this evening.
• The Dynamo were tied at halftime for the 12th time this year. Houston is now 2-4-6 this year when tied at intermission.
• This is the sixth time the Dynamo has taken a playoff game to overtime, and the Dynamo moved to 5-1 in those games. The last time the Dynamo finished a playoff game in overtime was on Nov. 6, 2013 when they defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
• Sporting Kansas City had the better of possession, holding the ball for 62.0 percent of the match. It marked the 29th time that Houston had less possession than its opponent this season, including regular and postseason games, and the Dynamo improved to 14-5-10 in those games.
• Sporting Kansas City outshot the Dynamo, 22-20. It was the 15th time this year, including regular and postseason games, that the Dynamo were outshot, and they improved to 5-4-6 in those contests.
• The Dynamo used their 33rd different starting lineup in 35 matches this year, including regular season and postseason.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES:

• FW Alberth Elis scored his first career playoff goal in the 94th minute on an assist by FW Vicente Sánchez.
• Elis’ goal was his fourth game-winning goal of the year, including regular and postseason competition, which is the most on the team.
• Elis made his playoff debut tonight, returning to the Starting XI for the first time since Oct. 15 at Sporting Kansas City.
• FW Vicente Sánchez dished his first career playoff assist in the 94th minute on a pass to FW Alberth Elis.
• Sánchez’s assist was his second game-winning assist of the year, including regular and postseason play.
• Sánchez made his second appearance in postseason play if he came into tonight’s game for MF Ricardo Clark in the 87th minute.
• GK Tyler Deric recorded his first career playoff victory and his first career clean sheet in postseason play. Including regular-season competition, Deric has now recorded seven clean sheets on the year and three in a row.
• Deric made his playoff debut tonight.
• FW Alex made his first career start in post season play and his second career playoff appearance. He also made his playoff debut for the Dynamo.
• MF Eric Alexander made his 10th career appearance in the postseason when he came into tonight’s game for FW Alex in the 91st minute.
• DF Jalil Anibaba made his third career appearance in postseason and his first with the Dynamo when he came into tonight’s game for DF Leonardo in the 41st minute.
• DF DaMarcus Beasley made his 18th career appearance and 17th start in the postseason, and first for the Dynamo.
• Beasley’s appearance was his first since 2003. The 14-year gap between playoff appearances is the second-longest by a player in MLS history, behind Colorado GK Tim Howard’s 15-year gap between appearances (2001-2016).
• MF Juan David Cabezas made his playoff debut tonight and played all 120 minutes.
• MF Ricardo Clark started his 24th career playoff game overall and his 18th career playoff game with the Dynamo, which ranks third in club history for playoff games started.
• Clark started his 303rd career game and made his 286th career start across all competitions for the club tonight.
• DF Leonardo started his fifth playoff game tonight and first as a Dynamo player.
• Leonardo left the game in the 41st minute after suffering an announced left leg injury.
• DF Adolfo Machado made his playoff debut tonight and started as a right back for the first time this season due to an injury suffered by DF A.J. DeLaGarza on Oct. 22 vs. the Chicago Fire.
• MF Tomás Martinez made his playoff debut tonight and played all 120 minutes.
• Martínez returned to the Starting XI for the first time since Oct. 15 at Sporting Kansas City.
• FW Romell Quioto made his playoff debut if he came in for FW Erick Torres in the 73rd minute.
• DF Philippe Senderos made his playoff debut tonight and played the full 120 minutes.
• Senderos returned to the Starting XI for the first time since Oct. 15 vs. Sporting Kansas City.
• FW Erick Torres made his playoff debut tonight and returned to the Starting XI for the first time since Oct. 15 at Sporting Kansas City.