The Seattle Sounders visit Sporting Kansas City on Sunday for the first of two meetings during the 2019 MLS regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. PT at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on FS1 and YouTube TV.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2019 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 7-1-5 (26 points, 2nd West), Sporting: 2-4-5 (11 points, 11th West)
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Seattle: DWWDD, Kansas City: DLLDL
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders are 9-5-4 all-time against SKC, including a 4-3-2 mark on the road.
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Seattle Sounders trounced Sporting Kansas City 3-1 at CenturyLink Field on September 1, 2018. The visitors opened the scoring in the 2nd minute as Diego Rubio pounced on a poor clearance and lashed his shot past Stefan Frei. Seattle then bagged three unanswered goals through Raúl RuidÃaz, Nicolás Lodeiro and Harry Shipp to earn their eighth consecutive win.
CCL HANGOVER: Sporting started the 2019 MLS regular season as favorites in the Western Conference, as the team started off 2-1-1, with their lone loss coming against LAFC. After falling to CF Monterrey 10-2 on aggregate in the Concacaf Champions League final, SKC is winless in its last seven matches.
WALKING WOUNDED: Ten first team players are currently unavailable through injury. Captain and center back Matt Besler made his return in Kansas City’s 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps in Week 12, but Daniel Salloi, Roger Espinoza, Jimmy Medranda, Gerso Fernandes, Andreu Fontas, Erik Hurtado, Jaylin Lindsey, Rodney Wallace, Wan Kuzain and Graham Zusi all remain sidelined.
GETTING THE GANG BACK TOGETHER: Sporting Kansas City mainstay Benny Feilhaber rejoined the team on May 8 in a trade with the Colorado Rapids.
FOND MEMORIES: Perhaps the most memorable clash between the Sounders and SKC came in Seattle’s 1-0 win in the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Frei stood on his head all evening, producing a series of miraculous saves to keep the Rave Green in the match. In the 88th minute, Nelson Valdez headed home a teasing cross from Joevin Jones to seal the victory.
TACTICAL FLEXIBILITY: Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer flexed his tactical nous in Seattle’s 0-0 draw with the Philadelphia Union, as he set his team up in a well-drilled 3-5-1-1 formation that aimed to increased defensive solidity and chance creation in transition.
NEXT MAN UP: Seattle showcased their depth in the draw against the Union, earning a point on the road against the No. 2 team in the East, all while missing seven starters and playing their third game in eight days.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Sounders play their second consecutive road match in Kansas City on Sunday. After that, four of the team’s next five matches will be played away from CenturyLink Field.
LATE DRAMA: A total 37 goals have been scored in Seattle Sounders vs. Sporting Kansas City matches, 14 of which have occurred between the 76th and 90th minutes.
