Sporting Kansas City (2) vs. New England Revolution (3)
Wednesday, November 6, 2013 - 8 p.m. CT
Sporting Park | Kansas City, Kansas
English TV: KSMO-TV
English Radio: Sports Radio 810 WHB
Spanish Radio: La Gran D 1340 AM
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Sporting Kansas City will host the New England Revolution in the decisive second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at 8 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Sporting Park. Tickets for the postseason rematch, presented by Ivy Funds, are available online at Ticketmaster.com or can be purchased on Wednesday at the Sporting Park Box Offices.
After falling 2-1 to the Revolution on the road in the opening leg on Saturday, Sporting Kansas City returns home aiming to erase the deficit in the two-game, aggregate goal series.Manager Peter Vermes' squad -- in the playoffs for a third straight season -- will advance to the Conference Championship with a victory by a two-goal margin or greater on Wednesday. If the total goals scored in the series is even after 90 minutes of play, then an additional 30 minutes will be played in its entirety. If the score remains tied at the end of extra time, then the series winner will be decided by kicks from the penalty mark.
Sporting Kansas City holds a 23-14-11 advantage in the all-time series in MLS competition, including Saturday's first-ever meeting between the two sides in the MLS Cup Playoffs which leveled the season series at 1-1-1 in 2013. The Revolution suffered a 3-0 loss in their most recent trip to Kansas City in August, extending their winless streak to four games at Sporting Park since the stadium opened in 2011, and are 6-12-5 all-time on the road against Sporting KC.
Since adopting the aggregate goal format for the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2003, MLS teams have overcome first leg deficits on 11 occasions to advance in the postseason. Last year's MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy were the most recent example, while Kansas City did so in the club's run to the 2004 MLS Cup. Sporting Kansas City, in the playoffs for the 12th time in the team's 18-year history, has won eight postseason matches by two goals or more all-time.
New England -- amidst a seven-game unbeaten streak and four-game winning streak -- is led by veteran goalkeeper Matt Reis, who has kept the team unbeaten (8-0-4) in his 12 MLS starts this season. The 38-year-old Reis was added to the Revolution injury report following Saturday's match and is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain.
Sporting Kansas City midfielders Lawrence Olum and Peterson Joseph have been ruled out on Wednesday, while Paulo Nagamura and Josh Gardner remain questionable due to injury. Vermes has been forced to use 28 different lineups in 35 MLS matches this season, though Sporting Kansas City's roster features seven players who have started all six of the team's playoff matches in the last three years: Jimmy Nielsen, Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin, Seth Sinovic, Chance Myers, Graham Zusi and C.J. Sapong.
Pre-game festivities on Wednesday include the KC Cauldron's takeover of the Boulevard Members Club in the northeast corner of Sporting Park. Doors open at 5 p.m. CT to all Members Stand ticket holders, as well as all Season Ticket Members and Cauldron members with a ticket for the match. Cauldron members will receive exclusive benefits by presenting thier Cauldron ID and non-Cauldron members can enjoy pre-game food and drink specials. A portion of all concession and merchandise sales will benefit the KC Cauldron's Futsal Fund.
Sporting Park will welcome Dr. Cameron Smith to perform Wednesday's national anthem. Smith was on field for the national anthem sung stadium-wide on Sept. 27. The mid-week match will also see the return of referee Mark Geiger, whose last MLS match in Kansas City came in the 2011 Eastern Conference Championship.
Wednesday's match will air live on KSMO-TV with pre-game coverage beginning at 7 p.m. CT. The match will also be broadcast over the airwaves on La Gran D 1340 AM (Spanish) and Sports Radio 810 WHB (English), who will be going live from Sporting Park beginning at 2 p.m. CT for Between the Lines with Kevin Kietzman and continuing the coverage on SportsNight with T.J. Carpenter at 6 p.m. CT.
Sporting KC fans can track tomorrow's match online by visiting SportingKC.com/GameOnor by following @SKCGameday on Twitter. The Final Whistle: Sporting KC Postgame Show will air live on Sports Radio 810 WHB with hosts Callum Williams and Andy Edwards immediately after the match and supporters are encouraged to call 913-3-810-810 to join the discussion.
The series winner between No. 2 seed Sporting Kansas City and No. 3 seed New England Revolution will advance to face either No. 1 seed New York or No. 4 seed Houston in the Eastern Conference Championship. The Red Bulls and Dynamo meet in the second leg of their semifinal at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Red Bull Arena live on Univision Deportes.
