By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #RSLvSKC | June 29, 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.
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1,993  The number of alcohol-related crashes in Kansas in 2017.

A Western Conference rivalry that sizzled across three separate competitions in 2018 will return Saturday when Sporting Kansas City (4-5-7, 19 points) visits Real Salt Lake (6-8-2, 20 points) for a 9 p.m. CT kickoff at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. Live match coverage will be available on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.

Sporting’s month-long road swing has hit its fifth and final stop this weekend as Manager Peter Vermes’ side aim for a second successive victory, having defeated Columbus Crew SC by a 1-0 scoreline last Sunday. RSL, meanwhile, are set to host their first home game in more than a month and will be equally eager to claim all three points. We take a statistical look at the contest in our newest edition of By The Numbers.

Head-to-Head

• Sporting are 1-6-5 their last 12 regular season meetings with RSL since 2014.
• The clubs squared off five times last season as Sporting eliminated RSL from the MLS Cup Playoffs and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
• Sporting have a 3-8-3 road record in the regular-season series, including a six-game winless run at Rio Tinto Stadium (0-4-2).
• Sporting have not won an MLS match at Rio Tinto Stadium since prevailing 2-1 on July 20, 2013.
• The sides notably met in the 2013 MLS Cup at Children’s Mercy Park, an epic encounter played amidst freezing conditions that saw Sporting prevail 7-6 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw through regulation and extra time.
• Sporting forward Daniel Salloi scored a brace to lead his side to a 4-2 win over RSL in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals last November at Children's Mercy Park.

Real Salt Lake

• 2019 MLS record: 6-8-2 (20 points, 8th in Western Conference)
• 2019 MLS home record: 4-2-2 (11 GF, 8 GA)
• Last MLS match: T 1-1 at Chicago Fire on June 22
• Last 5 MLS matches: 2-2-1, 7 points (W-W-L-L-T)
• RSL have been outscored 14-5 in the final 30 minutes of MLS matches this season.
• RSL's minus-six goal difference (22 GF, 28 GA) is the second-worst in the Western Conference.
• RSL's five one-goal losses are tied for the second-most in MLS.
• RSL lead MLS in shooting accuracy (53.7%) and rank second with four goals from outside the box.
• RSL have hit the woodwork 10 times this season, tied for the most in MLS.
• RSL have created nine big chances this season, the fewest in MLS.
• RSL haven't played an MLS home match since May 24 when they beat Atlanta United FC 2-1.
• Midfielder Albert Rusnak leads RSL with six goals in addition to tallying two assists.
• Forward Sam Johnson, who ranks second on the team with five goals, leads MLS in offsides (21).

Sporting Kansas City 

• 2019 MLS record: 4-5-7, 19 points (10th in Western Conference)
• 2019 MLS away record: 1-3-4 (8 GF, 12 GA)
• Last MLS match: W 1-0 at Columbus Crew SC on June 23
• Last 5 MLS matches: 2-1-2, 8 points (W-L-T-T-W)
• Sporting earned their first MLS road win of the season last Sunday, claiming a 1-0 victory over Columbus Crew SC. This was Sporting's first clean sheet in any competition since March 14, ending a run of 16 competitive matches without a shutout.
• Sporting will play their fifth consecutive away game in all competitions on Saturday. The road swing has included a win and two draws in MLS play and a defeat in the Open Cup.
• Sporting are tied for fourth in MLS with 1.69 goals per game and lead the league with five penalty kick goals.
• Sporting are 3-0-2 this season when Matt Besler, Botond Barath and Seth Sinovic start together in defense.
• Sporting are the only MLS team to have three players with seven league goals. Felipe Gutierrez, Krisztian Nemeth and Johnny Russell are tied for the team lead, marking the first time in club history that three players have hit seven MLS goals before the end of June.
• Midfielder Ilie Sanchez is the only Sporting player to appear in all 22 matches this season (including Concacaf Champions League).
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia has saved both of the penalties he has faced this season in MLS play.

Recent #RSLvSKC meetings (all competitions)

• Regular season record vs. RSL 9-11-8 (35 GF, 37 GA)
• All competitions record vs. RSL: 12-12-10 (47 GF, 44 GA)

Team stats (2019 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis (through June 27)