Ahead of Sunday's nationally televised match at Children's Mercy Park, SportingKC.com caught up with ESPN's Adrian Healey to preview #SKCvFCD. Live coverage of Saturday's match is available at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN, 810 WHB, and La Grande 1340 AM.
What have you seen from FC Dallas and Sporting KC during the early portion of the season?
Dallas for me have picked up where left off last yearr when they were unlucky not to make MLS Cup. Bright, sharp, progressive footballing side who are lethal at home but don't always travel well.
Sporting KC are an enigma wrapped in a riddle. It's been "everything but the goal" at times for them during this lean spell. Fully expect them to figure it out & be in contention again at crunch time, but losing Kristian Nemeth was an even bigger blow than expected.
What is one matchup you are looking forward to watching on Sunday?
Particularly relishing the central midfield battle with Diaz vs Mustivar/Espinoza and Feilhaber vs Acosta/Ulloa. There's going to be fireworks for sure.
How valuable has the addition of Maxi Urriti been to FC Dallas this year?
Seemed THE perfect pickup as the perfect compliment to Pareja's style up front. Three goals in first five games, but when Diaz went down, he went quiet and hasn't quite got his groove back. He will at some point though.
What do you feel Sporting KC needs to improve upon to turn things around this season?
Has to start at back, which has always been the bedrock for Vermes, and we saw signs of that with shutout in LA. If the defense can get back to being mistake free, there is too much talent from Dwyer, Benny, Zusi and company not to eventually open the floodgates.
