Dynamo begin playoff run by hosting reigning champ Seattle
DYNAMO’S SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO PLAYOFFS BRINGS TO MIND DAYS WHEN TITLE CONTENTION WAS AN ANNUAL RITE
As the Dynamo’s fast start fizzled and the summer struggle dragged them back to the pack, many of the new fans they gained began to disappear.
After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, the Dynamo needed to be more than a flash in the pan if they wanted to be anything more than a curiosity.
That’s a far cry from the club’s first eight seasons, when a safe prediction was for the Dynamo to be in the hunt as the championship round grew near. They won two MLS Cup titles, advanced to two more MLS Cup finals and to two other conference finals.
That three-year playoff absence may have been enough for outsiders to lose track of the Dynamo’s postseason success, but not for veteran midfielder Ricardo Clark. If he gets picked to play in his 19th Dynamo playoff game Tuesday night when they play host to Seattle Sounders FC in the first leg of the Western Conference finals, he’ll have history on his mind.
“We’re trying to put the club where it needs to be,” Clark said. “We have taken steps to do that. We’re just trying to stay humble and move forward. We’re not trying to talk too much. We’re just trying to do our thing on the field and prove it that way. We’ve been successful so far. We still have some steps to go forward with.”
The next step is Tuesday at BBVA Compass Stadium, where the Dynamo will try to set a positive tone in their two-leg series against the reigning MLS champions. They played solidly in the first leg of their conference semifinal series against Portland, but they made things difficult on themselves by not winning the game.
Though Seattle was a lower seed than Portland, the Sounders likely present a tougher task because they are closer to full strength and boast experience all around the field — most notably in the midfield, with Clint Dempsey and at centerback with Chad Marshall and Roman Torres.
A long time ago
The Dynamo beat Seattle 2-1 in Houston in March’s regularseason opener. But eight months removed from that night, Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said he’s confident his team is in better form.
“We have a veteran team that has been through the wars,” Schmetzer said. “We looked like a slower, older team at the beginning of the year. With the short offseason, it took us a while to get going. They all are pretty healthy now. Couple that with great goalkeeping, and that adds up to us being a tough team to beat over a two-game series.”
The Dynamo believe they match Seattle’s confidence. They are riding a nine-game unbeaten streak, thanks in large part to excellent defensive form.
They struggled in that aspect for much of the season, but defender Jalil Anibaba said they never lost track of the long-term goal — being great when it mattered most and returning the Dynamo to the postseason.
“Every day this year, we’ve been talking about it,” Anibaba said. “… Upon getting to the playoffs, we wanted to approach every game the right way and with the right mentality. I’ve been on the wrong end of the feisty Houston teams (from the past). I’m happy I’m on the right end of it now.”
Two-step process
Though they are playing with house money, the players and coaches are not satisfied. They’re close to the championship round again, so they’re focused on setting themselves up nicely for the second leg in Seattle on Nov. 30.
Maybe then, they’ll start dreaming of returning to the MLS Cup final for the fifth time in club history — a mark surpassed by only one team in MLS history.
“It is good to see the club back in this situation,” Clark said. “Last year at this time, I was sitting at home contemplating what to do. So, we’re thankful we’re in this situation. We’ve worked really hard this year. I think we’ve earned it up to this point. There is a lot more we need to earn and work for.”