Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo, 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs: Dynamo holds on

The Dynamo hardly looked good in this one, but holding a 2-0 aggregate-goal lead coming into it, they didn’t need to. From the outset, it was clear they were content to simply bunker and hold on for dear life.

Sporting KC came out showing every bit of the urgency you’d expect from a team trailing 2-0 on aggregate. They registered 73 percent of the possession and out shot the Dynamo 7-3. Among those seven shots, were several golden opportunities.

It’s game on in Kansas City. Seth Sinovic has scored a 65th minute header for Sporting Kansas City to bring them within 2-1 in the aggregate-goal Eastern Conference semifinal on Wednesday.

Sporting KC has been dominating the match, claiming nearly 75 percent of the possession, but were unable to break through until Sinovic’s goal. Sinovic was able to streak in from the left side to score a diving header that came off a Graham Zusi cross. Although the Dynamo had numbers in the penalty area, they had collapsed onto Kei Kamara right in front of the goal. Sinovic was all alone at the far post.

As much as Sporting KC complained about the tactics the Dynamo employed during their 2-0 win on Saturday, it all must have seemed quite familiar. The tight marking, the contesting of every pass, the constant clicking at their heals. It’s all the stuff that Sporting KC has been doing with so much success during a season in which they’ve already claimed the U.S. Open Cup and earned the East’s No. 1 seed.

For all their efforts, though, it must have been frustrating to draw the one opponent in the field who likes to do so much of what they do. In their last five meetings, dating back to last year’s Eastern Conference final, the Dynamo have a 3-0-2 advantage and have outscored Kansas City 7-2. Even at Livestrong Sporting Park, the Dynamo have gone 1-0-2.