By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #SKCvSEA | April 15, 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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1,162   The number of alcohol-related injury crashes in Kansas for 2016.

The Western Conference leaders will host the reigning Western Conference champions on Sunday as Sporting Kansas City (4-1-1) welcomes Seattle Sounders FC (0-3-0, 0 points) to Children's Mercy Park for a 3 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM. Tickets for the Faith and Family Day matchup are available at SeatGeek.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL to purchase the Coca-Cola Sunday Family Four Pack, consisting of four tickets, four Coca-Cola products, four hot dogs and four bags of chips.

Manager Peter Vermes' men have found their early-season stride, collecting four wins and a draw over their last five games to reach the summit of the West. Sporting KC's goal production has come from seven different players in 2018, tied for the most in MLS, and the backline has shown serious signs of returning to their miserly ways with a 262-minute shutout streak heading into Sunday. On the opposite sideline, the Sounders are still seeking their first points, and goals, of the campaign. Brian Schmetzer's side has stuttered out of the gates but remain a dangerous outfit with the likes of Clint Dempsey and Nicolas Lodeiro spearheading the group. We take a statistical look at the contest in our newest edition of By The Numbers.

Head-to-Head

• Since the start of 2015, Sporting KC is 4-1-2 against Seattle in the regular season with five shutouts.
• Before 2015, Sporting KC had just one win in its first nine regular season meetings with the Sounders (1-7-1).
• Sporting KC has won each of its last two home games against Seattle by a 3-0 scoreline, prevailing at Children’s Mercy Park in July 2016 and May 2017. The more recent meeting saw winger Gerso Fernandes score a second-half hat-trick, becoming the first Kansas City player to bag three goals in a regular season game since October 2010.
• The sides last met on Aug. 12, 2017, when the Sounders earned a 1-0 home victory behind Clint Dempsey's goal in the 36th minute.
• Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia has a 4-1-1 regular season record against Seattle with five shutouts and a 0.17 goals against average.
• In 16 regular season meetings, Sporting KC and Seattle have combined for more than three goals just once, when the Sounders won 3-2 in October 2009.

Seattle Sounders FC

• 2018 MLS record: 0-3-0, 0 points (12th in West)
• 2018 MLS away record: 0-1-0 (0 GF, 3 GA)
• Last MLS match: L 1-0 vs. Montreal Impact on March 31
• Last three MLS matches: 0-3-0, 0 points (L-L-L)
• Seattle is one of three winless teams in MLS and is the only club yet to score a goal this season.
• Seattle also started the 2016 season with an 0-3-0 record, but rallied during the second half of the year to lift their first MLS Cup.
• Seattle has failed to score in its first three games of the regular season for the first time in club history.
• Despite being outscored 5-0 this season, Seattle has outshot opponents 47-31 through three games.
• Seattle has received a red card in each of their first three games this season. Defender Tony Alfaro was sent off on March 4, followed by forward Clint Dempsey on March 18 and defender Kelvin Leerdam on March 31.
• Midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro leads MLS with four chances created per game. Since joining MLS in July 2016, no player has created more chances than Lodeiro (including playoffs).
• Forwards Dempsey and Will Bruin combined for 23 goals during the 2017 regular season as Seattle repeated as Western Conference champions before falling to Toronto FC in an MLS Cup rematch of 2016.
• Seattle is seeking to become the first MLS team since the 2007 New England Revolution to advance to three straight MLS Cup finals.

 Sporting KC

• 2018 MLS record: 4-1-1, 10 points (1st in West)
• 2018 MLS home record: 2-1-0 (4 GF, 4 GA)
• Last MLS match: W 2-0 at LA Galaxy on April 8
  Last three MLS matches: 4-0-1, 13 points (W-W-T-W-W)
• Sporting KC is unbeaten in five straight matches, collecting four wins and a draw since losing their season opener on March 4.
• With 13 points, Sporting KC is off to its best six-game start to a regular season since 2012 (6-0-0, 18 points).
• Seven different players have scored a goal for Sporting KC this season, tied for the most in MLS.
• Sporting KC leads the Western Conference with 12 goals scored and ranks first in MLS with 17 shots per game.
• Sporting KC is currently on a 262-minute shutout streak dating back to March 24.
• Midfielder Felipe Gutierrez, who missed Sunday's 2-0 win at the LA Galaxy through injury, is tied for the MLS lead with five goals. Last week he was named MLS Player of the Month for March.
• Forward Johnny Russell leads MLS with 52 touches in the opponent's box and is tied for second with 21 shots. He is one of nine MLS players with multiple goals (two) and assists (two) this season.
• Forward Daniel Salloi is tied for third in MLS with three assists. Sporting KC is 4-0-0 this season when he starts.
• Defender Graham Zusi ranks fourth in MLS with 18 interceptions and is tied for sixth with 13 chances created.
• Defender Matt Besler ranks third in MLS with 36 clearances, while fellow center back Ike Opara ranks seventh with 31.
• Midfielder Ilie leads MLS with 343 successful passes and ranks fifth among field players with 53 recoveries.
• Midfielder Roger Espinoza ranks fifth in MLS with 49 duels won.

Milestones and Miscellany

• In Sunday's 2-0 win at LA, Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes joined Jason Kreis as the second person in MLS history to play in 200 or more MLS matches and serve as a head coach in 300 or more MLS matches (including playoffs).

Team stats (2018 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis (source: Opta)

Recent #SKCvSEA regular season meetings

• Regular season record vs. Seattle: 5-8-3 (15 GF, 14 GA)
• Regular season home record vs. Seattle: 3-4-1 (12 GF, 9 GA)