"By The Numbers" is a season-long series that gives a statistical preview of every Sporting match. To visit the series archive, click here.
Sporting Kansas City will look to ride the momentum from their highly entertaining midweek win when they take on the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park, Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. CT. Fans can catch the match on 38 The Spot and stream it for free in the Sporting KC mobile app.
Sporting and San Jose met on two occasions in 2021 with Sporting taking a 3-1 victory on the road before drawing 1-1 with the Earthquakes at home. Exactly a year ago Sunday, Sporting and San Jose played at PayPal park in Sporting’s 3-1 triumph over San Jose.
Below, we provide a statistical preview of the Sunday showdown between Sporting Kansas City and the San Jose Earthquakes.
Head-to-Head
- Sporting are 7-1-4 against San Jose in the last 12 competitive meetings dating back to September 2016. San Jose's lone win during that stretch was a 4-1 result at PayPal Park in 2019.
- Sporting are 3-1-1 in their last five visits to PayPal Park after going winless in 18 straight away games at San Jose from 2000-2016.
- Since August 2004, the home team in this fixture is 23-4-6 across all competitions.
- Dating back to 1996, Sporting is 28-25-9 against San Jose in MLS regular season play
Sporting Kansas City
- 2022 MLS record: 3-7-3, 12 points (13th in Western Conference)
- 2022 MLS road record: 0-6-1, 1 point (5 GF, 19 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 scored multiple goals in three of their last four MLS matches and in four of their last five games in all competitions.
- Sporting is currently navigating a stretch of seven competitive matches in 22 days between May 7-28, including two in the U.S. Open Cup.
- Sporting are 3-2-1 when scoring the first goal this season.
- Since July 2020, Sporting are 23-0-1 in the regular season when leading in the 75th minute.
- Forward Marinos Tzionis has scored in two of Sporting’s last three matches in all competitions, both headers off set pieces.
- Forward Johnny Russell ranks seventh in MLS in dribbles completed (26) and eighth in touches inside the opponent’s box (53). He ranks third in the league with 74 combined goals (43) and assists (31) in the regular season since the start of 2018.
- Midfielder Remi Walter leads MLS in distance covered (93.1 miles), minutes played (1,170) and recoveries among field players (115). His two goals this year have already equaled his career-high for a single league season dating back to 2013.
- Midfielder Felipe Hernandez assisted both goals last weekend’s loss to Portland and leads the team with three assists this season.
San Jose Earthquakes
- 2022 MLS record: 3-5-4, 13 points (12th in Western Conference)
- 2022 MLS home record: 3-1-3, 12 point (16 GF, 15 GA)
- 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs: N/A
- All-time Honors: Two MLS Cups (2001, 2003), two Supporters’ Shields (2005, 2012)
- San Jose have conceded 28 goals this season, the most in MLS.
- San Jose have scored 15 of their 22 goals after the 60th minute, the most in MLS. Similarly, San Jose’s 11 goals conceded after the 60th minute are also the most in MLS.
- San Jose matches have produced 50 goals this season at a clip of 4.17 goals per game, the highest of any team in MLS.
- San Jose have conceded 15 home goals this season, the most in MLS, while also ranking second in the league with 16 home goals scored.
- San Jose have conceded the first goal in 10 of 12 matches this season. Similarly, the Earthquakes have led at halftime just once.
- San Jose began the season 0-4-3 but are 4-1-2 in all competitions since April 19, when Alex Covelo took over as the interim head coach for the departed Matias Almeyda.
- Forward Jeremy Ebobisse is tied for second in MLS with seven goals. He is also tied for the league lead with three multi-goal matches.
- Goalkeeper J.T. Marcinkowski ranks last in MLS with a 2.33 goals-against average but ranks fourth with 43 saves.
Milestones and Miscellany
- On Sunday in San Jose, Manager Peter Vermes will have coached in exactly half of the club’s regular season matches all-time (417 of 834).
- Forward Johnny Russell is currently tied with Josh Wolff and Davy Arnaud for third in club history with 43 regular season goals. He is tied with Wolff for fourth in club history with 46 goals in all competitions.
