By The Numbers presented by KDOT: Sporting KC hosts Minnesota United FC in U.S. Open Cup

"By The Numbers" is a season-long series sponsored by The Kansas Department of Transportation, giving a statistical preview of every Sporting KC match.

First-place Sporting Kansas City (7-4-5, 26 points) hosts Minnesota United FC (4-8-2, 14 points) for the second time this season on Wednesday. The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup clash kicks off at 7.30 p.m. CT will be streamed live on SportingKC.com with radio coverage on Sports Radio 810 WHB. Tickets for the match are on sale at SeatGeek.com.

Manager Peter Vermes’ men are facing a team that they beat 3-0 on June 3 at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting KC will base its confidence on the club’s unbeaten record at Children’s Mercy Park this year (6-0-2), while Minnesota United hasn’t won an away game yet in 2017 (0-5-2). The U.S. Open Cup can be an opportunity for the Loons to disrupt Sporting KC’s home form in this single elimination knockout match. We take a statistical look at the matchup in our By The Numbers preview...

Head-to-head

• The sides last met on June 3 at Children Mercy’s Park when Sporting KC earned a 3-0 win behind goals from Ike Opara, Jimmy Medranda and Saad Abdul-Salaam.
• Minnesota won the first MLS meeting between the clubs on May 7, earning a 2-0 win with goals from Abu Danladi and Christian Ramirez.
• Wednesday presents the third game between both teams in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Sporting KC defeated the Loons 2-0 in the 2014 Round of 32 at Children's Mercy Park and most recently prevailed in the same round of the 2016 edition, earning a 2-1 extra time win at National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.

Minnesota United FC

• 2017 MLS record: 4-8-2, 14 points (9th in West)
• 2017 MLS away record: 0-5-2 (9 GF, 22 GA)
• Last five games: 2-3-0, 6 points (W-L-L-W-L)
• Last MLS match: L 3-0 at Sporting KC on June 3
• 2016 Open Cup: Lost in fourth round to Sporting KC
• Best Open Cup finish: Round of 32 (2014, 2016)
• Minnesota has conceded 2.36 goals per game, most in MLS.
• Minnesota's duel success rate of 44.6 percent is the lowest in MLS.
• Forward Christian Ramirez is tied for third in MLS with eight goals.
• Minnesota is second in MLS with 14 goals scored in the second half.
• Minnesota is second in MLS with 14.7 interceptions per game.

 Sporting KC

• 2017 MLS record:7-4-5, 26 points (1st in West)
• 2017 MLS home record: 6-0-2 (17 GF, 3 GA)
• Last five games: 2-2-1, 7 points (W-L-L-W-T)
• Last MLS match: T 1-1 vs. Montreal Impact on Saturday
• 2016 Open Cup: Lost in Round of 16 to Houston Dynamo
• Best Open Cup finish: Champions (2004, 2012, 2015)
• Sporting KC leads MLS with 15.1 shots per game while also allowing the fewest shots per game at 9.0.
• Forward Dom Dwyer is sixth in MLS with 21 shots on target, while winger Gerso leads the team with six goals and ranks second in MLS with 37 successful dribbles. 
• Midfielder Ilie and goalkeeper Tim Melia have played in every minute of the 2017 regular season.
• Ilie ranks second in MLS with 1,015 successful passes in 16 games, while midfielder Roger Espinoza ranks eighth with 779 successful passes.
• Sporting KC ranks second in MLS in passing accuracy (83.0%) and third in average possession (58.0%).

Team stats (2017 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis (source: Opta)

Recent #SKCvMIN meetings

• Regular season record vs. Minnesota: 1-1-0 (3 GF, 2 GA)
• Record vs. Minnesota in all competitions: 3-1-0 (7 GF, 3 GA)