Dynamo coach urges positive approach

Houston Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear says his team must stay positive in their MLS play-off second leg against the Philadelphia Union.

The Dynamo will enter the second leg of the Eastern Conference semi-final having taken a 2-1 win away from home on Sunday.

They will welcome the Union to Robertson Stadium on Thursday, and Kinnear said continuing to play positively would be a key to progressing.

“Philadelphia is not coming here to just make up the numbers and just taking part in the play-offs. They want to advance as well,” he said on Tuesday.

“We understand it is going to be difficult. But in saying that we must maintain our positive attitude and our determined play for us to advance.”

In an impressive display in the first leg, Andrew Hainault and Calen Carr struck either side of a Sebastien Le Toux goal to record the win.

Forward Brian Ching said they needed to play for the win and not try and protect their lead from the first leg.

“We know Philadelphia are going to come in here with a bit of confidence knowing they have got results here in the past,” he said.

“And the way they finished the game in the second half I think they took a lot of confidence from that so we take that as a warning. We need to come out and play and approach this game like it is 0-0 at home, and we need to win.”

“We aren’t going to come back and sit and protect our lead. We are definitely going to go out there and try to score a goal and win this game in front of our fans and hopefully we can achieve that.”

The Union have won their last two games at Houston and will need at least that to advance.