Following a 3-1 win against Deportivo Saprissa last Thursday, Sporting Kansas City is in the driver's seat of CONCACAF Champions League Group 2. Their penultimate group stage match this Tuesday comes against a familiar foe as Real Esteli visits Sporting Park (7 p.m. CT, Fox Sports 1, Univision Deportes).
Though the Nicaraguan side has never claimed a Champions League victory, Esteli battled the MLS champions to a 1-1 draw at Sporting Park a year ago and has yet to lose in its domestic league. Our By The Numbers preview takes a closer look at the matchup.
Sporting KC
- Sporting KC is the only MLS team making a second consecutive appearance in the CCL.
- Sporting KC has lost just once and posted six clean sheets in their last 10 competitive international home matches.
- Sporting KC is one of three MLS clubs (Portland Timbers, Montreal Impact) atop their respective CCL groups.
- Antonio Dovale has three goals in two CCL games this season. He is tied for second on the club's all-time scoring list in international matches, one behind Chris Brown.
- Matt Besler leads the current roster with nine international appearances and starts for Sporting KC (eighth and sixth on the club's all-time charts, respectively).
- Jorge Claros leads the current roster with 11 CCL appearances, nine of them coming with Honduran club Motagua from 2010-12.
Real Esteli
- Real Esteli has never won in the CCL (0-10-5), but 12 of its 15 games all-time have been decided by one goal or less.
- Real Esteli is 0-4-3 all-time against MLS opposition.
- Real Esteli is 0-6-1 in CCL away games with two goals scored and 13 goals conceded.
- Real Esteli has conceded one goal or fewer in seven of its last nine CCL matches.
- Real Esteli is off to a perfect start in the Nicaraguan Primera Division's 2014 Apertura season (4-0-0).
- Thirty-one-year-old veteran Rudel Calero is tied atop the Nicaraguan league's scoring chart with four goals, while Samuel Wilson is tied for fourth with three goals.
- Real Esteli has won seven consecutive Primera Division titles.
CCL Group 2 Standings
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>PTS</strong> |
<strong>GP</strong> |
<strong>W</strong> |
<strong>L</strong> |
<strong>D</strong> |
<strong>GF</strong> |
<strong>GA</strong> |
Sporting KC |
4 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
Deportivo Saprissa |
4 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
Real Esteli |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
5 |
Group tiebreakers: (1) Greater number of points earned in matches between tied teams. (2) Greater goal difference in matches between tied teams. (3) Greater number of roald goals scored in matches between tied teams.
Players with international senior team caps in 2014
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>Real Esteli</strong> |
D Matt Besler (USA)<br>
M Graham Zusi (USA)<br>
M Lawrence Olum (Kenya)<br>
M Martin Steuble (Philippines)<br>
F Soony Saad (Lebanon) |
<p>GK Justo Lorente (Nicaragua)<br>
D Manuel Rosas (Nicaragua)<br>
M Elmer Mejia (Nicaragua)<br>
M Elvis Figueroa (Nicaragua)<br>
F Juan Barrera (Nicaragua)</p> |
Head-to-Head All-Time
Sporting KC 1-0-2 (4 GF, 2 GA)
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Result</strong> |
<strong>Venue</strong> |
<strong>Competition</strong> |
Aug. 7, 2013 |
Sporting KC 2, Esteli 0<br><span style="font-size:9px;">(Opara 31, Dwyer 76)</span> |
Estadio Independencia |
2013-14 CCL<br>
Group Stage |
Sept. 17, 2013 |
Sporting KC 1, Esteli 1<br><span style="font-size:9px;">(Calero 54, Peterson 78)</span> |
Sporting Park |
2013-14 CCL <br>
Group Stage |
Aug. 19, 2014 |
Sporting KC 1, Esteli 1<br><span style="font-size:9px;">(Claros OG 6, Dovale 16)</span> |
Estadio Independencia |
2014-15 CCL <br>
Group Stage |
Club Honors
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>vs.</strong> |
<strong>Real Esteli</strong> |
1996 |
<strong>Founded</strong> |
1960 |
6 |
<strong>Champions' Cup/<br>
CCL Appearances</strong> |
8 |
Semifinals<br>
2002 |
<strong>Best Champions' Cup/<br>
CCL Finish</strong> |
Group Stage<br>
2012-13, 13-14, 14-15 |
MLS Cup - 2<br>
Open Cup - 2 |
<strong>Domestic<br>
Titles</strong> |
Primera Division - 14 |
