Sporting Kansas City remains at home this weekend when the team plays host to Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in English and Spanish. The match will also be available on the radio locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish), while tickets are available via SeatGeek.com.
1. BOUNCING BACK IN SHORT WEEK
Sporting Kansas City endured a tough setback on Wednesday, falling 3-0 to Nashville SC at Children’s Mercy Park just four days after a 1-0 win in Minnesota positioned the team for a postseason push. Sporting has won three of their five matches since the Leagues Cup break, but a pair of tough losses at Miami and home to Nashville has dented the club’s MLS Cup Playoffs hopes.
Sporting conceded from three set pieces on Wednesday night, with Fafa Picault heading home a corner in the first half before Hany Mukhtar added a second from a recycled set piece and Jack Maher headed home a Mukhtar free kick in the second stanza. The match marked the first time Sporting has been shutout since June 24 when the team lost 2-0 to Chicago at home - also the club’s last home loss in the regular season. Sporting had been on a four-game home unbeaten streak (3-0-1) prior to Wednesday night.
Sporting will now play host to Houston Dynamo FC on Saturday night knowing that the club is fighting for their playoff lives. Realistically, Sporting must win three of the club’s final four matches (vs. HOU, at STL, at RSL and vs. MIN) to have a chance at entering the postseason.
Since the start of May, Sporting have gone 9-7-5 in MLS play, scoring 36 goals along the way after going 0-7-3 and scoring just three goals in its first 10 league matches through the end of April.
2. PIVOTAL HOUSTON CLASH ON HORIZON
Sporting Kansas City remains at home this weekend for what could be a season-defining clash with Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting’s room for error is razor thin if the club wants to reach the postseason after falling 3-0 to Nashville SC at home on Wednesday night.
Sporting will be looking to take advantage of a red-hot Houston side that will surely have one eye on the U.S. Open Cup final which is set to take place just four days after they visit Kansas City this Saturday. Houston are one of the hottest teams in MLS at the moment, unbeaten in their last seven and have gone 4-0-2 since the Leagues Cup break.
Sporting and Houston played out a wild 2-2 draw earlier this year on July 8, 2023. Alan Pulido twice gave Sporting the lead but on both occasions the club was pegged back by stoppage time goals in the first and second half by the Dynamo.
The last time Houston visited Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting saw out a 1-0 victory in the club’s 2022 home opener on March 5, 2022. Remi Walter scored the only goal of the game with a composed finish from the edge of the area in the second half to give Sporting all three points.
3. SALLOI PRODUCING ANOTHER STRONG SEASON
Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi has quietly had another solid season from the left wing in 2023. With a lot of attention paid to the stunning comeback season of Alan Pulido, Salloi has put up some solid numbers for the third straight season.
With eight goals and seven assists this year in all competitions, Salloi has eclipsed 14 goal contributions in three straight seasons for Sporting. He is also one of four players in MLS with seven or more regular season goals in each of the last three seasons along with Hany Mukhtar, Luciano Acosta and Jesus Ferreira.
Salloi has cemented himself as one of the top attackers in club history and he now ranks fourth in club history with 45 goals and eighth with 29 assists in MLS regular-season action.
Across all competitions, Salloi is one of 13 players in club history to make over 200 appearances as he’s now tallied 56 goals and 32 assists in 206 matches while his 88 goal contributions rank eighth in club history.
4. VERMES REACHES 700 MLS MATCHES
During Wednesday night’s frustrating 3-0 loss to Nashville SC at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting Kansas City Manager & Sporting Director Peter Vermes reached a major milestone.
The match marked the 700th MLS match for Vermes as a player and head coach in his distinguished career. The Sporting Legend is the first individual in league history to reach the 700-match milestone.
Person | MLS Matches | As player | As coach |
Peter Vermes | 700 | 209 | 491 |
Jason Kreis | 662 | 327 | 335 |
Greg Vanney | 620 | 302 | 318 |
Ben Olsen | 618 | 243 | 375 |
5. SKC TO HONOR PAST HONOREES AT KCC MATCH
When Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo FC face off this Saturday, it marks a must-see game that promises excitement and heartwarming moments as the game marks the club’s Kick Childhood Cancer match.
Throughout the game, the club will honor all of the past honorees of the Victory Project. These incredible individuals and their families have shown immense courage and strength in their battle against childhood cancer, and Saturday’s match is an opportunity for the community to come together and support them. The team will be wearing the KCC adidas training top that features a marvel superhero design and was released earlier this month.
The Victory Project is Sporting Kansas City’s philanthropic arm that is dedicated to helping children through all of life’s challenges.
