"By The Numbers" presented by Compass Minerals is a season-long series that gives a statistical preview of every Sporting match. To visit the series archive, click here.
A pair of longtime Western Conference rivals will square off Saturday as Sporting Kansas City welcomes the Colorado Rapids to world-class Children's Mercy Park for a 7:30 p.m. CT showdown in the heartland. Tickets are available at SeatGeek.com and the action will air live on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.
Sporting and Colorado are aiming to bounce into the win column for the first time this season, and with both clubs sitting just three points below the playoff line in the fledgling standings, Saturday will be viewed as a golden opportunity to steady the ship and claim victory. The hosts will be further encouraged by the recent returns of star striker Alan Pulido and captain Johnny Russell, not to mention the fact that center back debutants Robert Castellanos and Dany Rosero stymied the Philadelphia Union's formidable attack last weekend.
We take a statistical look at the matchup in our newest edition of By the Numbers, presented by Compass Minerals.
Head-to-Head
- Sporting are 4-1-4 against Colorado over the last four seasons, including a 0-0 draw on March 4 when the clubs last met at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- Forward Daniel Salloi has five goals in seven regular season appearances against the Rapids, with all five goals coming at Children’s Mercy Park. Salloi has scored braces in two of his last three home appearances against Colorado (June 23, 2021 and May 18, 2022).
- Sporting and Colorado have squared off 87 times in all competitions, making the Rapids the most frequent opponent in Kansas City history.
- Sporting holds a series advantage with 35 wins, 30 losses and 22 ties, including a 29-25-19 record in the regular season.
- Sporting are 23-6-6 at home against Colorado in the regular season, their best home record against any MLS charter member.
- Sporting are 3-0-1 in their last four home meetings against Colorado since 2020, scoring 10 goals and conceding three.
- Colorado midfielder Michael Barrios has five goals and five assists in 21 regular season appearances against Sporting.
- Colorado forward Diego Rubio has three goals in nine regular season appearances against Sporting. He played in Kansas City from 2016-2018.
- Colorado goalkeeper William Yarbrough is 1-4-4 in nine regular season appearances against Sporting, posting three shutouts and a 1.56 goals against average.
Sporting Kansas City
- 2023 MLS record: 0-3-3, 3 points (13th in West | 2 GF, 7 GA)
- 2023 MLS home record: 0-1-1 (1 GF, 4 GA)
- Last 5 Matches: 0-2-3 (T-T-L-L-T)
- Sporting rank fourth in MLS in shots (89) and second in shots on target (36).
- Sporting rank third in MLS in key passes (64), third in shooting accuracy (60%) and second in corner kicks (42).
- Sporting lead MLS with six shots from fast breaks.
- Sporting have had 29 shots blocked this season, the second most in MLS.
- Sporting rank third in MLS with 105 crosses from open play.
- Sporting lead MLS with a dribble success rate of 63.3%, completing 69 of 109 attempted dribbles.
- A total of 24 different players have taken the field for Sporting this season, tied with Real Salt Lake for the most in MLS.
- Midfielder Erik Thommy leads MLS with 12 shots on target, three more than any other player. He also ranks second in total shot attempts (24) and eighth in chances created (13). His 11 blocked shot attempts are the most in MLS.
- Forward Daniel Salloi ranks fifth in MLS in shots (19), second in shots on target (nine) and fourth in successful crosses from open play (six).
- Forward Willy Agada has scored eight goals in eight home starts at Children’s Mercy Park since joining the club last summer.
- Midfielder Remi Walter is tied for seventh in MLS with 13 interceptions. He has started 48 consecutive regular season matches for Sporting since Sept. 29, 2021, the third-longest active streak among MLS field players behind Jakob Glesnes (79) and Darlington Nagbe (73) and tied for the eighth-longest streak in club history.
- Center backs Robert Castellanos and Dany Rosero made their Sporting debuts with 90-minute outings in last Saturday’s 0-0 draw at the Philadelphia Union.
- Castellanos finished his club debut with three duels won, five clearances, four second balls won and seven recoveries.
- Rosero finished his club and MLS debut with five duels won, three aerial duels won, six second balls won, three recoveries in the defensive third and a team-high 0.33 expected goals.
Colorado Rapids
- 2023 MLS record: 0-3-3, 3 points (14th in West | 2 GF, 8 GA)
- 2023 MLS away record: 0-2-1 (1 GF, 6 GA)
- Last 5 Matches: 0-2-3 (T-L-L-T-T)
- Colorado occupy last place in the Western Conference as one of three winless MLS clubs alongside Sporting and the LA Galaxy.
- Colorado are tied for last in MLS with two goals scored. They are the only team not to score in the first half of a match this season.
- Colorado are winless in their last nine regular season road matches dating back to 2022. Since the start of last season, the Rapids are 1-13-6 on the road in the regular season. Only San Jose (1-13-5) have fewer points on the road in 2022 and 2023.
- Colorado’s last MLS road win came by a 5-4 scoreline over the New York Red Bulls on Aug. 2, 2022.
- Colorado have led for a total of five minutes this season, from the 49th to 54th minute in a 2-1 home loss to Minnesota on March 18.
- Colorado went 319 minutes without scoring a goal from Feb. 26 to March 18, the longest drought by an MLS team this season.
- Colorado have been flagged offside four times, the fewest in MLS this season.
- Colorado have conceded three goals after the 75th minute. Only Austin (4) and Chicago (4) have conceded more during that time.
- Defender Danny Wilson led all MLS players in matchday six with six shot attempts in matchday six, a 0-0 home draw against LAFC.
- Midfielder Cole Bassett and forward Kevin Cabral have provided Colorado’s two goals this season.
- Midfielder Michael Barrios has assisted on both of Colorado’s goals, while fellow midfielders Bryan Acosta and Connor Ronan have also provided assists. Acosta leads the team with 10 key passes.
- Goalkeeper William Yarbrough ranks fourth in MLS with 22 saves.
- Yarbrough and center back Andreas Maxso are the only Colorado players to play all 540 minutes this season.
Milestones and Miscellany
- Manager Peter Vermes will coach his 444th MLS regular season match on Saturday, tying Dominic Kinnear for third most in MLS history (Sigi Schmid 548, Bruce Arena 528).
- Forward Daniel Salloi is one shy of his 50th goal for Sporting in all competitions.
- Forward Johnny Russell is one shy of his 50th goal for Sporting in MLS competitions and two shy of 50 regular season goals for the club. His 48 regular season goals and 53 goals in all competitions are both third most in club history.
- Midfielder Roger Espinoza is one shy of his 300th start in MLS competitions (regular season, playoffs and MLS is Back Tournament).
- Midfielder Remi Walter has made 48 straight regular season starts for Sporting, the third-longest active streak among MLS field players behind Jakob Glesnes (79) and Darlington Nagbe (73). His 48-game streak is tied for the eighth longest in club history (Kevin Hartman 90, Jimmy Nielsen 90, Mark Chung 74, Tony Meola 55, Jimmy Conrad 52, Bo Oshoniyi 51, Ilie Sanchez 51, Mo Johnston 48).
- Goalkeeper Tim Melia has made 217 regular season appearance for Sporting, one shy of tying Preki for seventh-most in club history.
- Forward Khiry Shelton is one shy of 100 starts in his MLS regular season career.
