Sporting Kansas City hits the road this weekend to take on the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The game will also be broadcast locally on the radio via Sports Radio 810 WHB.
1. FIRST ROAD MATCH OF NEW ERA
Sporting Kansas City hits the road for the next two weeks following a disappointing 4-2 defeat against the Portland Timbers at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday afternoon.
Under the leadership of interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin, Sporting has gone 1-1-0 in their first two matches since the departure of longtime Manager Peter Vermes. Sporting will now look to win their first road match since a 2-1 victory at the San Jose Earthquakes on July 13, 2024 when the team returns to PayPal Park in Zavagnin’s first road match this Saturday night.
Sporting’s offense has been much improved in recent weeks, posting two of the club’s three highest expected goals totals of the season - including a season-high 2.8 xG on Sunday against Portland.
Keeping the ball out of the back of the net has been the main issue for Sporting, having conceded 16 goals in eight matches, the second highest total in MLS behind only D.C. United.
Sporting will now have an opportunity to snap the club’s 11-game road winless run in all competitions with matches at San Jose (April 19) and Cincinnati (April 26).
2. PAYBACK AT PAYPAL
Sporting Kansas City heads to the west coast this weekend to face off against the San Jose Earthquakes looking for some payback at PayPal Park on Saturday night.
Sporting hosted San Jose in the club’s 2025 MLS home opener back on March 1 and fell to a frustrating 2-1 defeat. The visitors raced into a two-goal lead behind goals from star offseason arrivals Chicho Arango and Josef Martinez before Dejan Joveljic converted from the penalty spot for his first goal for Sporting to reduce the deficit heading into halftime. San Jose was reduced to 10 men early in the second half when Hernan Lopez was shown a second yellow card but Sporting were unable to find an equalizer.
Sporting last visited PayPal Park on July 13, 2024 and emerged as 2-1 victors. After a scoreless first half, Sporting struck twice through Erik Thommy and Alan Pulido early in the second stanza to take a commanding lead before a late own goal made for a nervy finale that Sporting saw out to pick up a rare three points on the road.
Sporting leads the all-time regular-season series 32-27-10, including a 8-17-8 mark on the road.
3. JOVELJIC CONTINUES HOT STREAK
Sporting Kansas City forward Dejan Joveljic continued his hot streak in front of goal this past weekend, scoring from the penalty spot in the club’s 4-2 setback against the Portland Timbers at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday afternoon.
Joveljic converted from the spot for the second time this season with an impudent Panenka in the 33rd minute, taking him to five goals on the season - tied for second-most in MLS in 2025.
All five of Joveljic’s goals this season have come at Children’s Mercy Park and he now has 12 goals in his last 10 home appearances in MLS play, dating back to the 2024 season with the LA Galaxy.
Joveljic, who is the only player to score at least five goals in each of the last four MLS seasons, had an opportunity to join Tai Baribo and Brian White atop the MLS Golden Boot charts with another penalty deep into second-half stoppage time, but his effort was saved by James Pantemis.
4. SULEYMANOV OFF THE MARK IN SPORTING BLUE
Sporting Kansas City forward Shapi Suleymanov scored his first goal in Sporting Blue this past weekend, scoring the club’s first goal in the 4-2 defeat to the Portland Timbers at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday afternoon.
Sporting found themselves 1-0 down following an early David Ayala goal, but Suleymanov quickly restored parity in the 16th minute when he lined up a free kick from the right side of the penalty area and curled in a delivery that evaded a slew of bodies in front of goal before nestling into the side-netting.
The goal, which was Suleymanov’s first since Nov. 3, 2024 for former club Aris Thessaloniki in a 3-1 win over Levadiakos in Super League Greece, marked Sporting’s first free kick goal in MLS play since Erik Thommy scored in the 3-2 win over Real Salt Lake on Oct. 7, 2023.
Later in the half with Sporting trailing 2-1, Suleymanov again proved instrumental as he earned a penalty kick that was converted by Dejan Joveljic in the 33rd minute. Suleymanov currently leads MLS with 24 fouls suffered in 2025.
5. GARCIA’S INFLUENCE GROWS
Despite not getting on the scoresheet this in this past weekend’s 4-2 loss to the Portland Timbers at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting midfielder Manu Garcia continues to influence matches from all areas of the field.
Garcia’s underlying numbers since arriving in MLS this offseason remain impressive, as the Spaniard ranks third in MLS in progressive passes (65), seventh in successful passes into the penalty area (18), eighth in goal-creating actions (five), ninth in successful through balls (four) and ninth in successful passes into the final third (54).
According to FBref, Garcia ranks in the 94th percentile in shot-creating actions, 93rd percentile in progressive passes and 98th percentile in successful take-ons compared to other midfielders in MLS this season.
