By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #NYCvSKC | July 26, 2019

"By The Numbers" is a season-long series sponsored by The Kansas Department of Transportation that gives a statistical preview of every Sporting match.
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Sporting Kansas City (6-8-7, 25 points) will take the show on the road this Friday with a visit to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Awaiting Manager Peter Vermes' men is a New York City FC side (8-3-8, 32 points) that has lost just four times at the iconic venue since the start of 2017. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT with live coverage on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.

With plenty to play for as Sporting look to gain ground in the playoff race, let's jump into a statistical preview of the interconference clash in a new edition of By The Numbers.

Head-to-Head

• Sporting are 2-2-0 all-time against New York City FC. Manager Peter Vermes' men won the first two meetings, prevailing 1-0 at Yankee Stadium in March 2015 before winning 3-1 at Children's Mercy Park in July 2016.
• NYCFC have won the two most recent meetings, prevailing 1-0 at home in September 2017 before winning 2-0 at Children's Mercy Park on the opening weekend of 2018 behind Maxi Moralez and Jesus Medina strikes.

New York City FC

• 2019 MLS record: 8-3-8 (32 points, 5th in Eastern Conference)
• 2019 MLS home record: 4-1-4 (16 GF, 8 GA)
• Last MLS match: W 2-0 at Colorado Rapids on July 20
• Last 5 MLS matches: 3-2-0, 9 points (W-W-L-L-W)
• NYCFC occupy fifth place in the Eastern Conference but rank second in points per match at 1.68.
• NYCFC's 19 matches played are at least three fewer than any other team in the East.
• Similarly, NYCFC's three losses are at least three fewer than any other team in the East.
• NYCFC are 26-4-13 at home since the start of 2017. Excluding 2018 expansion side LAFC, NYCFC's four home losses over the last three seasons are the fewest in MLS.
• NYCFC have conceded just eight goals in nine home matches this season.
• NYCFC lead MLS with 14.0 fouls committed per game.
• NYCFC have conceded six goals in the final 30 minutes of matches this season, tied for the fewest in MLS.
• Influential midfielder Maxi Moralez leads MLS with 13 assists and ranks sixth with 59 chances created.
• Forward Heber leads NYCFC with eight goals despite just making 12 MLS appearances since joining the club in April.
• Midfielder Alex Ring ranks second in MLS with 52 fouls committed.
• Forwards Valentin Castellanos and Alexandru Mitrita have scored five goals each, while forward Ismael Tajouri-Shradi has four.
• Goalkeeper Sean Johnson is tied for fourth in MLS with six shutouts.

Sporting Kansas City 

• 2019 MLS record: 6-8-7, 25 points (10th in Western Conference)
• 2019 MLS away record: 2-4-4 (11 GF, 14 GA)
• Last MLS match: L 0-2 vs. FC Dallas on July 13
• Last 5 MLS matches: 2-3-0, 6 points (L-L-W-W-L)
• Sporting sit five points below the seventh and final playoff spot with 13 matches still to play.
• Sporting have already suffered as many regular season defeats this year (eight) as they did in all of 2018.
• Sporting's four road defeats (2-4-4) are tied for the third-fewest in MLS.
• Midfielder Felipe Gutierrez leads Sporting with eight goals and ranks fifth in MLS with 39 tackles won.
• Sporting are the only club in MLS to have three players with at least seven goals. Gutierrez is joined by Krisztian Nemeth and Johnny Russell, who have scored seven each.
• Sporting are 4-1-1 with four shutouts when the back line of Matt Besler, Botond Barath, Graham Zusi and Seth Sinovic start in defense.
• Sporting are 0-7-3 this season when conceding the first goal of the match and 0-5-2 when trailing at halftime.

Recent #NYCvSKC meetings (regular season)

• Regular season record vs. NYCFC: 2-2-0 (4 GF, 4 GA)
• Regular season away record vs. NYCFC: 1-1-0 (1 GF, 1 GA)

Team stats (2019 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis