"Five Things" is a season-long series presented by the Children's Mercy Sports Medicine Center that highlights the top storylines and players to watch ahead of each match. To visit the series archive, click here.
A colossal Western Conference clash will take place Saturday at Children’s Mercy Park as second-place Sporting Kansas City (6-3-2, 20 points) hosts star-studded LAFC (3-3-3, 12 points) in a 4:30 p.m. CT showdown on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, the ESPN app, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM. A limited number of tickets for the match are available at SeatGeek.com while supplies last.
Saturday’s marquee matchup pits a free-scoring Sporting side against an equally explosive LAFC outfit that hoisted the 2019 Supporters’ Shield and nearly won the Concacaf Champions League last December. With plenty to look forward to this weekend, we examine the five biggest narratives surrounding the fixture in the space below.
1. Goals on Goals
By nearly every measurable metric, Sporting boasts the best attack in MLS this season. Manager Peter Vermes’ side leads the league in goals (20), expected goals (23.4), goals per match (1.82), shots per game (17.7) and chances created per game (12.4). Sporting have bagged three goals in four of their last six matches, all of which have resulted in victories. Needless to say, playmaking prowess is a huge reason Sporting are only four points back of first place in the West.
On the opposite sideline, LAFC wields one of the greatest attacking duos in league history. Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi have amassed 97 goals and 52 assists in regular season play since LAFC joined MLS as an expansion side in 2018. Head coach Bob Bradley’s men have endured a pedestrian start to the campaign but Vela and Rossi are both fully fit now, and that oftentimes means bad news for LAFC’s opponents.
2. Salloi on Fire
Sporting winger Daniel Salloi was at his unplayable best in Wednesday’s 3-1 home win over the Colorado Rapids. Delivering a man of the match performance, Salloi bagged a first-half brace with goals in the 14th and 38th minutes before setting up Sporting's third in the 64th.
Simply put, the 24-year-old forward has been one of the most effective attacking players in MLS this season. After all, the numbers speak for themselves.
- Salloi ranks third in MLS with six goals, behind only Raul Ruidiaz and Chicharito who have eight apiece.
- Salloi is tied for second in MLS with nine combined goals (six) and assists (three), behind only Carles Gil who has one goal and 10 assists.
Salloi leads MLS this season with 66 touches in the opponent's box, an indication of his ability to find and exploit dangerous spaces as Sporting looks to break down the opponent.
3. Know the Foe
Upon entering the league in 2018, LAFC wasted no time vaulting into the elite tier of MLS clubs. Bradley’s side posted a 16-9-9 record in 2018, set a league record with 72 points during their 2019 Supporters’ Shield campaign and last year went agonizingly close to becoming the first MLS team to win the modern iteration of the Concacaf Champions League. LAFC have yet to catch fire in 2021, partially due to the fact that their nine dropped points from winning positions are the most in MLS. The club is also winless in its last seven MLS road matches dating back to last fall, taking five losses and two draws during that time. LAFC will hope that Wednesday’s 2-0 shutout win over FC Dallas—sparked by a goal and an assist from Vela—will be a turning point.
4. Americana Tops
In the lead-up to the match, Sporting has unveiled the club's new Americana pre-match training top. Inspired by the jerseys worn by the U.S. Men's National Team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, the Americana top is now available for home delivery at MLSstore.com or for matchday pickup at Children's Mercy Park via SportingStyle.com. The jersey will also be on sale at Sporting Style locations on Saturday while supplies last.
5. Special Olympics
Supporters in attendance are encouraged to stick around after the game for the annual Special Olympics match, featuring two teams of players from Special Olympics Kansas and Missouri. Sixteen athletes will compete for two 20-minute halves as part of an immersive matchday experience at Children’s Mercy Park, which will include player introductions and a postgame medal presentation.
