By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #LAFCvSKC | March 3, 2019

"By The Numbers" is a season-long series sponsored by The Kansas Department of Transportation, giving a statistical preview of every Sporting KC match.
Traffic Safety By The Numbers - Visit the Drive to Zero Coalition for more information

Hot off an impressive showing against Toluca in the Concacaf Champions League, Sporting will aim to continue their winning ways in a star-studded MLS curtain raiser on Sunday at Los Angeles Football Club. The 2019 regular season opener at Banc of California Stadium will be televised nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. CT, while local radio calls will air on Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.

Supporters are welcome to watch parties for the match at any of Sporting’s newly announced pub partner locations—including No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District—while fans can also utilize the new Sporting KC app for in-game updates and exclusive offers.

Two of the premier teams in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference from a year ago will lock horns in one of the best Week 1 matchups. Let's take a look at how Sporting and LAFC stack up in our newest edition of By The Numbers.

Head-to-Head

• Sporting were the only team to beat LAFC twice in 2018. They emerged 2-0 winners at Banc of California Stadium on Aug. 11 before prevailing 2-1 on Oct. 28 at Children's Mercy Park.
• Sporting are the only MLS club to have beaten LAFC at Banc of California Stadium in the MLS regular season.
• Gerso Fernandes, Ilie Sanchez, Roger Espinoza and Daniel Salloi scored goals last season against LAFC, while Carlos Vela bagged a penalty in the latter meeting versus Sporting.
• Since June 2016, Sporting are 5-0-2 in their last seven trips to the state of California with 13 goals scored and three conceded.
• Sporting are 10-0-5 in regular season matches against California clubs, home and away, since June 2016.

LAFC

• 2018 MLS record: 16-9-9, 57 points (3rd in West)
• 2018 MLS home record: 9-1-7 (32 GF, 15 GA)
• 2018 Playoffs: L 2-3 vs. Real Salt Lake in Knockout Round
• LAFC became the fifth expansion team in MLS history to earn a playoff spot in their inaugural 2018 season and set an expansion record with 57 points last year.
• LAFC ranked second in MLS with 68 goals last season, an average of 2.0 per game.
• LAFC were shut out just three times last season, the fewest in MLS.
• LAFC were the only team to have three players with at least 12 league goals last season. Carlos Vela led the side with 14, while Adama Diomande and Diego Rossi had 12 each. Vela was one of two MLS players (Ignacio Piatti) with at least 13 goals and 13 assists last year.

 Sporting

• 2018 MLS record: 18-8-8, 62 points (1st in West)
• 2018 MLS away record: 8-6-3 (31 GF, 23 GA)
• 2018 Playoffs: L 2-3 (agg.) vs. Portland in Western Conference Championship
• In their 5-0 aggregate victory over Toluca in the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16, Sporting set an all-time tournament record for heaviest aggregate win by an MLS team over a Liga MX club.
• Sporting claimed their first-ever win on Mexican soil with a 2-0 result at Toluca on Thursday night.
• Forwards Gerso Fernandes and Krisztian Nemeth have scored in each of their last two Champions League appearances.
• Sporting set regular-season club records last season for goals (65), assists (69), away goals (31) and goal difference (plus-25).
• Sporting ranked second in MLS in 2018 with 31 away goals and boasted a league-best plus-eight road goal difference.
• Sporting were 10-0-0 last season when leading at halftime.
• Forward Johnny Russell became the fourth player in Sporting history to hit double-digit goals (10) and assists (10) in a single regular season last year.
• Forward Daniel Salloi led MLS Homegrown Players in all competitions with 23 combined goals (16) and assists (7) last season.

Milestones and Miscellany

• Defender and captain Matt Besler is one shy of his 300th start for Sporting in all competitions.
• Botond Barath, Erik Hurtado, Kelyn Rowe and Rodney Wallace are all in contention to make their MLS debuts for Sporting on Sunday.

Team stats (2018 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis (source: Opta)