The Seattle Sounders will be on the road against Sporting Kansas City in a midweek clash on Wednesday. Here is everything you need to know about the match:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 5:30 p.m. PT at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be televised on JOEtv.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will air in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM with TV audio simulcasted on SoundersFC.com.
2017 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 2-4-4 (10 points, 9th place West), Sporting KC: 5-2-4 (3rd place West).
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders are 7-4-3 all time against Sporting KC, including a 4-2-1 mark on the road.
RECENT MEETINGS: The Sounders dropped both regular-season contests with SKC last season, the first a 1-0 loss in the season-opener at CenturyLink Field and the second a 3-0 defeat on July 24 at Children’s Mercy Park. Seattle would come through when it counted, though, ousting Sporting from the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs with a 1-0 win in the Western Conference Knockout Round. A header from Nelson Valdez in the 88th minute sent the Sounders to the conference semifinals.
STRUGGLES AGAINST SKC: The Sounders have not beaten Sporting in the regular season since 2014, going 0-3-2 in their last five contests. Seattle last won at SKC on May 8, 2013.
LATE-GAME HEROICS: The Sounders have scored 13 goals in their 14 regular-season meetings with Sporting KC, and a remarkable eight of them have come in the 75th minute or later.
EVANS RETURNS: Midfielder/defender Brad Evans made his long-awaited 2017 debut last Saturday in the Sounders’ loss at the Chicago Fire when he entered in the 79th minute for Clint Dempsey. Evans had been battling a calf injury he suffered in the preseason and had sidelined him for the first two months of the season. Said Evans last Saturday: “I’m happy to get 15 minutes and progress from there.”
JONES SUSPENDED: Sounders left back Joevin Jones will miss Wednesday’s match after he was sent off for two yellow cards against the Fire last Saturday. Jones had played every minute of Seattle’s first 10 games until that 89th-minute ejection and currently leads the team with five assists.
REINFORCEMENTS READY: While Jones is suspended, defender Jordy Delem is eligible to play after serving his own suspension against the Fire after receiving a second, retroactive yellow card against Toronto FC on May 6. Defender Nouhou and goalkeeper Tyler Miller also joined the team in Kansas City on Monday.
DWYER STRAITS: Forward Dom Dwyer has the most goals for Sporting in the SKC-Seattle series and returns to action on Wednesday after being suspended for last week’s 2-2 draw at Orlando City SC for yellow-card accumulation. He leads the team with five goals.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: Sporting Kansas City has only allowed seven goals in 11 matches this year, which is second only to FC Dallas’ six, but FCD has played two fewer games. The stalwart back four of Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler, Ike Opara and Graham Zusi have protected goalkeeper Tim Melia and have only allowed two goals in five home matches. It’s worth noting, however, that of SKC’s seven goals allowed, four have come in the previous two games.
NEW FACES: Sporting made two influential signings in the offseason in forward Gerso Fernandes and defensive midfielder Ilie Sanchez. Gerso has scored twice and added pace and width to the front three in Peter Vermes’ 4-3-3 system, while the former Barcelona academy product Ilie has been a key lynchpin to the team’s defensive success so far and been terrific in building from the back.
