By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #SKCvHOU | June 23, 2018

"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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A pair of familiar foes lock horns again on Saturday as Western Conference leaders Sporting Kansas City (8-2-5, 29 points) welcome the Houston Dynamo (6-5-3, 21 points) to Children's Mercy Park at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. A limited number of tickets for the highly anticipated matchup are available via SeatGeek.com, including standing-room only tickets, and the first 10,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive black argyle sunglasses courtesy of match sponsor UMB Bank.

Saturday's showdown will air live on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM. Manager Peter Vermes' men will hope to secure their first regular season home win over Houston since 2011, while the Dynamo will aim to extend their lengthy unbeaten run against Sporting KC. We take a statistical look at the contest in our newest edition of By The Numbers. 

Head-to-Head

• Sporting KC is winless in its last seven regular season home games against Houston, going 0-1-6 ever since earning a 3-0 victory on Sept. 10, 2011.
• Sporting KC is winless in its last eight regular season meetings against Houston overall, going 0-4-4 ever since emerging 2-0 winners at BBVA Compass Stadium on June 6, 2014.
• Sporting KC has faced Houston 27 times in all competitions since 2011, more than any other opponent, with a dead-even 9-9-9 record. This includes six playoff games (2011-2013, 2017) and four U.S. Open Cup matches (2011, 2015-2017).
• Saturday's game is a rematch of the 2017 Western Conference Knockout Round that saw Houston prevail 1-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium behind a 94th-minute goal from Alberth Elis.
• Sporting KC and Houston will meet three times over the next six weeks, facing off June 23 and Aug. 4 in MLS and July 18 in the Open Cup.

Houston Dynamo

• 2018 MLS record: 6-5-3, 21 points (7th in West)
• 2018 MLS away record: 1-3-3 (11 GF, 13 GA)
• Last MLS match: W 2-0 vs. Colorado Rapids on June 9
• Last five MLS matches: 3-2-0, 9 points (W-W-L-L-W)
• Houston is tied for the Western Conference lead with 29 goals scored (2.07 per game).
• Houston is 2-12-10 in its last 24 regular season road games since the start of 2017.
• Houston is second in MLS in shots on target per game (6.6) and fourth in total shot attempts per game (15.5) while also ranking second in fewest shots allowed per game (9.9).
• Houston leads MLS with 60 successful crosses from open play.
• Houston ranks second in MLS in both big chances created (36) and big chances missed (28).
• Houston forward Alberth Elis has 13 combined goals (8) and assists (5), tied for third most in MLS. He leads the league with 30 shots on target.
• Houston forward Romell Quioto leads MLS with six primary assists and 26 successful crosses from open play while ranking second with 11 big chances created.
• Houston midfielder Tomas Martinez has four goals and four assists this season after totaling two goals and zero assists in 2017.
• Houston midfielder Boniek Garcia has four assists in seven starts this season.

 Sporting KC

• 2018 MLS record: 8-2-5, 29 points (1st in West)
• 2018 MLS home record: 5-1-2 (17 GF, 7 GA)
• Last MLS match: T 0-0 at Portland Timbers on June 9
• Last five MLS matches: 2-0-3, 9 points (W-T-T-W-T)
• Sporting KC is unbeaten in eight straight games across all competitions since the start of May (5-0-3).
• Sporting KC has eight clean sheets in its last 13 games across all competitions.
• Sporting KC has received seven goals from substitutes in all competitions, three shy of tying the single-season club record.
• Sporting KC has conceded just five goals in their last 11 regular season games since March 31, the fewest in MLS during that time.
• Sporting KC leads MLS in shots per game (18.4) and passing accuracy (85.2 percent) while ranking second in average possession (59.5).
• Sporting KC has just one loss in its last 14 regular season games (8-1-5), tied with FC Dallas for the fewest in MLS since March 10.
• Sporting KC has hit the woodwork 10 times this season, tied for second-most in MLS.
• Midfielder Ilie leads MLS with 551 successful passes in the attacking half. He is also tied for third in the league with 27 chances created from open play.
• Midfielder Roger Espinoza has a career-high six assists through 14 league games. He also ranks second in MLS with 31 chances created from open play.
• Graham Zusi leads MLS in touches (1,366) and ranks first among defenders with 26 chances created.
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia is tied for the MLS lead with seven shutouts and ranks third with a 0.93 goals against average.

Recent #HOUvSKC meetings in all competitions

• Regular season record vs. Houston: 5-10-12
• Record vs. Houston in all competitions: 10-15-13

Team stats (2018 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis (source: Opta)