By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #VANvSKC | July 13, 2019

"By The Numbers" is a season-long series sponsored by The Kansas Department of Transportation that gives a statistical preview of every Sporting match.
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Fresh off a pivotal home victory over the Chicago Fire last weekend, Sporting Kansas City (5-7-7, 22 points) will look to continue their winning ways Saturday night in a showdown with Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4-8-8, 20 points) at BC Place. Kickoff is slated for 9 p.m. CT with live coverage on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM. The Western Conference clash will also be joined in progress on the main FOX Sports Kansas City channel following the conclusion of Kansas City Royals baseball.

Manager Peter Vermes' side occupies 10th place in the West, five points below the playoff line, but showed signs of a resurgence in a dominant defeat of Chicago. The Whitecaps, meanwhile, sit two points behind Sporting and without a win in their last five league matches. With plenty to play for in British Columbia, let's take a statistical look at the contest in our newest edition of By The Numbers.

Head-to-Head

• Sporting are 8-3-4 all-time against Vancouver in MLS competition, including a 3-2-2 record on the road.
• The clubs most recently met on May 18 at Children's Mercy Park. Krisztian Nemeth fired Sporting ahead in the 37th minute before Derek Cornelius salvaged a last-gasp equalizer in the 94th minute.
• Sporting have outscored Vancouver 11-2 across the last three meetings, posting two wins and a draw.
• Sporting swept the 2018 series with a pair of lopsided wins, prevailing 6-0 at Children's Mercy Park on April 20 and cruising 4-1 at BC Place on Oct. 17.
• Forward Daniel Salloi keyed Sporting's 4-1 road win over Vancouver last October, scoring a pair of second-half goals at BC Place.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

• 2019 MLS record: 4-8-8 (20 points, 11th in Western Conference)
• 2019 MLS home record: 3-3-4 (10 GF, 11 GA)
• Last MLS match: L 1-6 at LAFC on July 6
• Last 5 MLS matches: 0-2-3, 3 points (T-T-T-L-L)
• Vancouver are winless in five straight MLS matches and have gone nine straight games without a shutout.
• Vancouver have conceded 18.6 shots per game, the most in MLS, while ranking 21st in shot attempts of their own at 10.9.
• Vancouver rank last in MLS with 7.5 chances created per game and rank third-to-last in scoring offense at 1.1 goals per game.
• Vancouver rank second in MLS with 22.3 clearances per game.
• Vancouver's seven penalties conceded are the second-most in MLS.
• Vancouver' six one-goal losses are one shy of the most in MLS.
• Vancouver defender Erik Godoy leads MLS field players with 23 blocked shots and ranks sixth with 83 clearances.
• Forward Fredy Montero leads Vancouver with six goals, while midfielder Yordy Reyna ranks second with four.
• Midfielder Inbeom Hwang leads Vancouver with 32 chances created.

Sporting Kansas City 

• 2019 MLS record: 5-7-7, 22 points (10th in Western Conference)
• 2019 MLS away record: 1-4-4 (8 GF, 14 GA)
• Last MLS match: W 1-0 vs. Chicago Fire on July 6
• Last 5 MLS matches: 2-2-1, 7 points (T-W-L-L-W)
• Sporting's 29 regular season wins over Canadian opponents (29-11-15) are the most among U.S.-based MLS clubs.
• Sporting's 11 regular season wins in Canada (11-7-9) are the second most among U.S.-based MLS clubs behind D.C. United's 12.
• Sporting's eight away goals are tied for the second-fewest in MLS.
• Sporting have hit the woodwork eight times this season, third-most in MLS.
• Sporting's 34 goals allowed through 19 matches are more than the club conceded in all of 2017 (29).
• 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 with seven apiece.
• Sporting are 4-1-2 when the trio of Botond Barath, Matt Besler and Seth Sinovic start in defense.
• Forward Johnny Russell is tied for the MLS lead with three goals from outside the box.
• Midfielder Felipe Gutierrez ranks second in MLS in tackles won (38) and third in fouls committed (also 38).
• Midfielder Ilie Sanchez is the only Sporting player to appear in all 25 matches this season (including Concacaf Champions League).
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia has saved both of the penalties he has faced this season in MLS play.

Milestones and Miscellany

• Goalkeeper Tim Melia is one shy of his 58th regular season win for Sporting, which would pass Jimmy Nielsen for the most in club history.

Recent #VANvSKC meetings

• Regular season record vs. Vancouver: 8-3-4 (30 GF, 18 GA)
• Regular season away record at Vancouver: 3-2-2 (12 GF, 10 GA)

Team stats (2019 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis