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Following back-to-back draws at home, Sporting Kansas City is back on the road and will face 2021 MLS Cup Champions, New York City FC this Saturday. The showdown at Citi Field is set for 6 p.m. CT and will air on 38 The Spot.
Saturday marks just the sixth all-time meeting between these two clubs and the first-ever at Citi Field. NYCFC took all three points in the last meeting, beating Sporting KC 3-1 at Yankee Stadium on July 26, 2019. Sporting will look to even the series as the current head-to-head record sits at 2-3-0.
Below, we provide a statistical preview of the matchup between Sporting Kansas City and New York City FC.
Head-to-Head
- Sporting and NYCFC are meeting for the first time since July 26, 2019, when the teams squared off at Yankee Stadium.
- Sporting are 2-3-0 against NYCFC with wins in the first two meetings and losses in each of the last three.
- Sporting has not defeated NYCFC since prevailing 3-1 at home on July 10, 2016.
- Sporting are 1-2-0 on the road in the series, winning in 2015, but losing in 2017 and 2019.
Sporting Kansas City
- 2022 MLS record: 2-6-2, 8 points (11th in Western Conference)
- 2022 MLS road record: 0-5-0, 0 points (3 GF, 12 GA)
- 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs: Lost to Real Salt Lake in Western Conference Semifinals
- All-time Honors: Two MLS Cups (2000, 2013), four Open Cups (2004, 2012, 2015, 2017), one Supporters' Shield (2000).
- Sporting have recorded back-to-back draws after going a club-record 20 straight regular season matches without a tie in the non-shootout era (since 2000).
- Sporting lead MLS with 79.1 long passes per match.
- Since July 2020, Sporting are 22-0-1 in the regular season when leading in the 75th minute.
- Saturday will mark the first time Sporting has faced the reigning MLS Cup champion since May 5, 2019, when the club lost to Atlanta United.
- Sporting are 4-5-1 in regular season matches against the reigning MLS Cup champions since 2012.
- According to Second Spectrum, forward Daniel Salloi leads MLS with 31.5 attacking runs per match (attacking runs are forward runs by a player off the ball in order to receive a pass). He also ranks fourth in distance covered at high speed (4.1 miles).
- Salloi is tied for the team lead with two goals. Since the start of 2021, he is tied for second in MLS with 16 goals from open play in the regular season. He also received his first nod to the MLS Team of the Week in 2022 for his performance against Dallas.
- Forward Johnny Russell is tied for the team lead with two goals, ranks fifth in MLS in touches inside the box (46), eighth in successful dribbles (20) and ninth in duels won (66).
- Midfielder Remi Walter is tied for the team lead with two goals, leads MLS in distance covered (72.2 miles) and ranks second among field players in recoveries (94). His two goals this year have already equaled his career-high for a single league season dating back to 2013.
- Midfielder Roger Espinoza ranks fourth in MLS with 11 possessions won in the attacking third.
New York City FC
- 2022 MLS record: 4-3-1, 13 points (5th in Eastern Conference)
- 2022 MLS home record: 4-1-0, 12 points (18 GF, 5 GA)
- 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs: Beat Portland Timbers in MLS Cup
- All-time Honors: One MLS Cup (2021)
- NYCFC are the reigning MLS Cup champions and own a 10-3-3 record in their last 16 MLS matches (including playoffs) dating back to October 2021.
- NYCFC lead the Eastern Conference and ranks second in MLS with 2.38 goals per match. They also rank third in the league in goal differential at +9 (19 GF, 10 GA).
- NYCFC have scored 14 goals over their last three matches in wins over Real Salt Lake, Toronto and San Jose. Their 14 goals are the most over a three-game stretch in the club's regular season history.
- NYCFC rank second in MLS in both possession (58.5%) and recoveries per game (73.6).
- NYCFC lead MLS with 17.6 shots per game and 6.9 shots on target per game. NYCFC have a 55-30 advantage over their opponents in shots on target.
- Forward Valentin Castellanos leads MLS in shots (34), shots on target (14), shots inside the box (29) and touches inside the box (74).
- Castellanos is tied for fourth in MLS with five goals and ranks second in the league with 20 chances created from open play.
- Forward Talles Magno is tied for second in MLS with five assists. Midfielder Santiago Rodriguez is one behind with four assists.
- Defender Malte Amundsen ranks sixth in MLS with nine successful crosses from open play.
- NYCFC have played home matches at five different stadiums in all competitions this year: Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Red Bull Arena, Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium, and Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Milestones and Miscellany
- Forward Johnny Russell is one shy of moving into a tie for third on Sporting’s all-time regular season goals chart at 43.
- He also is one shy of moving into a tie for fourth on Sporting’s all-time chart for goals in all competitions at 46.
- Defender Graham Zusi is the first player in MLS history to play 14 seasons all with one club. His 330 career regular season appearances are fourth-most in MLS history by a player for one club.
- Goalkeeper Tim Melia is three shy of 600 career saves for Sporting in the regular season.
- Melia has a goals conceded percentage of 56.7% on penalty kicks (17 of 30) during his MLS career, the lowest clip in league history among keepers who have faced at least 10 penalties.
