The road to winning the West ends in Seattle.
On Sunday evening, the Houston Dynamo upset top-seed Portland by an aggregate score of 2-1 in the Western Conference Semifinals. The result advanced the Dynamo to the Western Conference Championship to face the Sounders, who topped the Vancouver Whitecaps in the other semifinal. The Dynamo secured the fourth seed with a 13-10-11 record in the regular season, then defeated Sporting KC 1-0 in the Knockout Round late last month.
The Sounders will visit Houston's BBVA Compass Stadium on Tuesday, November 21 in the first leg of the Western Conference Championship. On Thursday, November 30, the Sounders will host the Dynamo at CenturyLink Field in Leg Two. The aggregate score winner will then face either Toronto FC / Columbus Crew in MLS Cup. Both Eastern Conference sides recorded more points than Seattle and Houston during the regular season, meaning the Eastern Conference winner will host the one-match final to decide the 2017 league champion.
Seattle and Houston faced each other twice during the regular season, with each club earning three points at home. In the season opener on March 4, Houston beat Seattle 2-1, while the Rave Green earned a 1-0 win over the Dynamo on June 4 on a Will Bruin header. Since 2009, the Sounders hold a record of 6-4-6 against Houston in league play, but have never won a contest on Houston's pitch. Seattle faced Houston in its first-ever postseason series in 2009, with the Dynamo securing advancement on a 1-0 aggregate win.
Tickets for Leg Two at CenturyLink Field will go on sale Monday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. PT.
