"By The Numbers" is a season-long series sponsored by The Kansas Department of Transportation, giving a statistical preview of every Sporting KC match.
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Two teams hoping to reach the Concacaf Champions League Semifinals for the first time will lock horns Thursday as Sporting Kansas City hosts Panamanian side Independiente at world-class Children's Mercy Park. The decisive second leg of the quarterfinal series will kick off at 7 p.m. CT with tickets available at SeatGeek.com. Fans can also catch the action live on YahooSports.com, the Yahoo Sports app, Univision Deportes, ESPN 94.5 FM and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.
Sporting have plenty of work to do on Thursday, having lost last week's first leg by a 2-1 scoreline in Panama. But if the club's home record against Central American and Caribbean sides is any indication, Manager Peter Vermes' side won't be short on confidence. Without further ado, let's take a statistical look at the second-leg battle in our newest edition of By The Numbers.
Advancing Scenarios
- Sporting wins the series with: a 1-0 victory or a win by multiple goals.
- Independiente wins the series with: a win, a draw or a one-goal loss in which they score at least twice (2-3, 3-4, etc.)
- The series goes straight to penalty kicks with: a 2-1 win for Sporting
Sporting KC
2019 MLS record: 1-1-0 (3 points, 7th in West)
2019 home record: 2-0-0 in all competitions (5 GF, 0 GA)
2019 leading scorer: Krisztian Nemeth and Ilie Sanchez (3 goals in all competitions)
Last match: Won 2-0 vs. Philadelphia Union on Sunday (MLS regular season)
Champions League Fast Facts
- Qualified as: 2017 U.S. Open Cup champion
- Best Finish: 2013-14 and 2019 (Quarterfinals)
- All-time record: 8-5-4
- All-time home record: 5-1-2
- Round of 16: Defeated Toluca (MEX) 5-0 on aggregate
Worth Noting
- Sporting are 4-0-3 at home all-time against Central American and Caribbean opponents.
- Each of Sporting's four home wins over Central American and Caribbean foes have come by at least two goals.
- Sporting has outscored Central American and Caribbean sides 12-3 at home, recording four shutouts in seven meetings.
- Sporting's inaugural trip to Panama last week resulted in a 2-1 loss to Independiente.
- Forward Krisztian Nemeth and midfielder Ilie Sanchez are tied for the team lead this season with three goals in all competitions.
- Sporting are 2-0-0 at home this season in all competitions, outscoring opponents 5-0.
- Sporting are one of four MLS teams in the Champions League Quarterfinals, joining Atlanta United FC, the Houston Dynamo and the New York Red Bulls. All four teams suffered first-leg losses last week.
Independiente
2019 Clausura record: 3-1-2 (11 points, 5th in Liga Panameña de Fútbol)
2019 away record: 1-1-2 in all competitions (6 GF, 6 GA)
2019 leading scorer: Romeesh Ivey (5 goals in all competitions)
Last match: Tied 0-0 vs. Universitario on Saturday (Liga Panameña de Fútbol)
Champions League Fast Facts
- Qualified as: Liga Panameña de Fútbol champion with better 2017-18 aggregate record
- Best Finish: 2019 (Quarterfinals)
- All-time record: 2-0-1
- All-time away record: 0-0-1
- Round of 16: Defeated Toronto FC 5-1 on aggregate
Worth Noting
- In their Champions League debut, Independiente hammered Toronto FC with a 5-1 aggregate win in the Round of 16.
- Prior to this year, Independiente had never previously faced an MLS opponent.
- Winger Romeesh Ivey leads Independiente with five goals in all competitions this season, including three in the Champions League.
- Winger Omar Browne has scored four goals in all competitions for Independiente this season. He has also recorded two goals and two assists in three Champions League matches.
- Ivey and substitute Alexis Corpas scored in Independiente's 2-1 first-leg win over Sporting last week.
- Independiente are 3-1-2 in Liga Panameña de Fútbol, occupying fifth place in the Clausura table. The team settled for a 0-0 home draw on Saturday against Universitario, resting several of their regular starters.
- Francisco Perlo is in his first season as Independiente's manager. The club went just 4-6-8 during the 2018 Apertura campaign prior to his appointment last December.
