"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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Sporting Kansas City's globetrotting road trip reaches its final stop on Wednesday as the club visits Panamanian side Independiente in the first leg of the 2019 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on YahooSports.com, the Yahoo Sports app, Univision Deportes, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.
Manager Peter Vermes' side is hoping to reach the semifinal stage of the Champions League for the first time ever, but Independiente have already sprung one upset against an MLS side and will aim to replicate the feat this time around. The 3,000-seat Estadio Agustin Sanchez in La Chorrera, Panama, will serve as the site of Wednesday's all-important first leg as both teams look to take an advantage into the decisive return fixture next Thursday at Children's Mercy Park.
With plenty to play for in the hot and humid conditions of Panama, let's take a statistical look at the matchup in our latest edition of By The Numbers.
Sporting KC
2019 MLS record: 0-1-0 (0 points, t-10th in West)
2019 MLS away record: 0-1-0 (1 GF, 2 GA)
2019 leading scorer: Krisztian Nemeth (3 goals in all competitions)
Last match: Lost 2-1 at LAFC on Sunday (MLS regular season)
Champions League Fast Facts
- Qualified as: 2017 U.S. Open Cup champion
- Best Finish: 2013-14 and 2019 (Quarterfinals)
- All-time record: 8-4-4
- All-time away record: 3-3-2
- Round of 16: Defeated Toluca 5-0 on aggregate
Worth Noting
- Sporting's 2-0 Champions League win at Toluca last Thursday was the club's first-ever victory in Mexico and the fifth win by an MLS team on Mexican soil.
- Sporting's 5-0 aggregate win over Toluca was the largest by an MLS team over a Liga MX club in a two-legged Concacaf series.
- Sporting have traveled nearly 6,000 miles over the last week, venturing from New Mexico to Toluca to Los Angeles to Panama.
- Sporting are one of four MLS teams in the Champions League Quarterfinals, joining Atlanta United FC, the Houston Dynamo and the New York Red Bulls.
- Sporting have never previously faced a Panamanian opponent.
- Forward Krisztian Nemeth has scored in each of Sporting's first three games of the season and leads the side with three goals in all competitions.
- Forward Gerso Fernandes scored in both Round of 16 legs against Toluca.
- Defender Seth Sinovic is one shy of tying Kerry Zavagnin's club record of 14 international appearances.
Independiente
2019 Clausura record: 3-1-1 (10 points, 4th in Liga Panameña de Fútbol)
2019 Clausura home record: 2-0-0 (4 GF, 1 GA)
2019 leading scorer: Omar Browne and Jorman Aguilar (4 goals in all competitions)
Last match: Tied 1-1 at Toronto FC on Feb. 26 (Champions League Round of 16)
Champions League Fast Facts:
- Qualified as: Liga Panameña de Fútbol champion with better 2017-18 aggregate record
- Best Finish: 2019 (Quarterfinals)
- All-time record: 1-0-1
- All-time home record: 1-0-0
- Round of 16: Defeated Toronto FC 5-1 on aggregate
Worth Noting
- In their Champions League debut, Independiente hammered Toronto FC with a 5-1 aggregate win in the Round of 16.
- Prior to this year, Independiente had never previously faced an MLS opponent.
- Forward Jorman Aguilar and midfielder Omar Browne lead Independiente with four goals in all competitions since the start of the 2019.
- Browne scored in both legs of the Round of 16, while winger Romeesh Ivey bagged a brace in Independiente's 4-0 first-leg win over Toronto.
- Toronto failed to record a single shot on target in their first-leg visit to Estadio Agustin Sanchez on Feb. 19.
- Independiente are 3-1-1 in Liga Panameña de Fútbol, occupying fourth place in the clausura table. The club hasn't played a domestic match since falling 2-1 at Tauro on Feb. 23.
- Fernando Perlo is in his first season as Independiente's manager. The club went just 4-6-8 during the 2018 apertura campaign prior to his appointment last December.
