Starting XI: Decision Day Dramatics

Starting XI, presented by Ford, is a biweekly series on SportingKC.com that highlights 11 of the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City, MLS and soccer around the globe. Click here to visit the Starting XI archive.

The fates of Sporting KC (12-8-13, 49 points) and Real Salt Lake (12-15-6, 42 points) hang in the balance when both clubs renew their Western Conference rivalry in Sunday's monumental Decision Day clash at Rio Tinto Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest and FOX Sports GO, with pregame coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Sporting KC has already secured a seventh straight playoff berth with a game to spare, but Peter Vermes' men could still finish anywhere between second and fifth in the West. Real Salt Lake, meanwhile, absolutely must win in order to have a shot at jumping from eighth place into the sixth and final playoff spot.

With a handful of other matches directly impacting Sporting KC's seeding — we're looking at you, Vancouver, Portland, Seattle and Houston — supporters will undoubtedly have their eyes on results around the league as Sunday's game in Utah unfolds. While FOX Sports KC and FOX Sports Midwest carry the Sporting KC match, fans can also check into ESPN or ESPN Deportes for Decision Day whip-around coverage for all the goals and developments as the playoff picture solidifies.

2. Seeding Scenarios

Below are Sporting KC’s seeding scenarios heading into Decision Day, when the club will visit Real Salt Lake in one of 11 matches played simultaneously across Major League Soccer.

How Sporting KC can finish second in the West (knockout round bye)

• Win at Real Salt Lake, AND
• Portland loses or ties vs. Vancouver, AND
• Seattle loses or ties vs. Colorado

How Sporting KC can finish third in the West (host SJ, FCD or RSL in knockout round)

• Win at Real Salt Lake, AND
• Only one of Portland or Seattle drops points to Vancouver or Colorado, respectively

How Sporting KC can finish fourth in the West (host Houston in knockout round)

• Win at Real Salt Lake, AND Portland and Seattle both win vs. Vancouver and Colorado, respectively, OR
• Tie at Real Salt Lake, AND Houston Dynamo loses or ties vs. Chicago Fire, OR
• Lose at Real Salt Lake, AND Houston Dynamo loses or ties vs. Chicago Fire

How Sporting KC can finish fifth in the West (visit Houston or Seattle in knockout round)

• Tie at Real Salt Lake, AND Houston wins vs. Chicago, OR
• Lose at Real Salt Lake, AND Houston wins vs. Chicago

3. Unmatched Excellence

Facts are facts. In 2016 and 2017, only one MLS club had each of its top four teams reach the playoffs both years. This feat, of course, belongs to Sporting KC, the Swope Park Rangers and the Sporting KC U-18s and U-16s. All in all, the future appears to be as bright as ever for the Sporting KC organization. Bolstered by an ambitious Sporting Club ownership group and a cadre of world-class facilities — Children's Mercy Park, Swope Soccer Village and the new National Training and Coaching Development Center — the club is well positioned to contend for championships for years to come.

4. Remembering RFK

After calling RFK Stadium home for the last 22 seasons, D.C. United will play its final match at the iconic venue on Sunday against the New York Red Bulls. As one of the longtime soccer cathedrals in the United States, RFK Stadium is a true staple in the respective histories of D.C. United and American soccer. The U.S. Men's National Team has played there 22 times, more than any other stadium. In light of the #LastCallatRFK, today's #TBT revisited five of Sporting KC’s most memorable moments at RFK Stadium in chronological order.

5. No Other Watch Party

All Sporting KC fans are welcome to attend the official #DecisionDay watch party on Sunday at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District (1370 Grand Blvd.), presented in partnership with Till Vodka. No Other Pub's matchday specials include $6 Till Vodka cocktails as well as an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring hamburgers, hot dogs, pretzels and queso, cheese curds and more.

6. Radio Rewind

With a pivotal Decision Day clash between Sporting KC and Real Salt Lake looming, captain Matt Besler joined The Border Patrol hosts Nate Bukaty and Steven St. John Wednesday morning on Sports Radio 810 WHB. The morning segment preceded a jam-packed Sporting KC Show on Wednesday night as Bukaty, Jillian Carroll and Carter Augustine performed a pair of candid, insightful interviews with Manager Peter Vermes and soccer analyst Brian Dunseth.

7. Dueling Drogba

The Swope Park Rangers will host African soccer legend Didier Drogba and Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Western Conference Quarterfinals on Saturday at Swope Soccer Village. Kickoff at Children's Mercy Victory Field is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and tickets are available via SeatGeek.com. 

Led by head coach Nikola Popovic, the reigning USL Western Conference champion Rangers finished the regular season in fourth place for a second straight year. SPR finished as USL Cup runners-up in their inaugural 2016 campaign and look perfectly capable of going one step further this time around, thanks to a talented blend of Sporting KC Academy products and young bucks who have blossomed into MLS-ready players.

8. England Awaits

The United States U-17 Men’s National Team faces England in the quarterfinals of the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup on Saturday, kicking off at 9:30 a.m. CT at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa, India (FS2, Universo). The Americans have the opportunity to advance to the semifinal stage for the first time in U-17 program history, but might have to do so without the services of Sporting KC homegrown signing Jaylin Lindsey. The 17-year-old Lindsey started each of the United States’ first three group stage games — including a pair of shutout wins against Indiana and Ghana — but a concussion sidelined him for Monday’s 5-0 win over Paraguay in the Round of 16.   

9. Braveheart

No one embodies Sporting KC grit and toughness quite like former midfielder Paulo Nagamura, who helped the club win three major championships during his five-year stint with the club. In our latest episode of Sporting Rewind — a podcast series that shares compelling stories about players, coaches and fans of the club — Nagamura discusses his time in Kansas City with additional commentary from assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin.

10. Study Session

Each week, SportingKC.com will recap Sporting KC Academy players who featured for their respective schools in NCAA action. Players who came through the Academy and continue to train with Sporting KC during the offseason can maintain their homegrown status and be eligible for a homegrown contract with the first team. The previous week of college soccer saw freshman goalkeeper Steven Tekesky take the starting role for West Virginia, allowing just one goal in three appearances — including a 1-0 win over No. 5 Michigan State.

11. Tulsa Tripleheader

The Sporting KC Academy returns to action next Saturday, facing the Dallas Texans in a tripleheader at the University of Tulsa. The U-15s kick the day off at noon CT, followed by the U-17s at 2:30 p.m. and the U-19s at 5 p.m. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for live updates throughout the afternoon.

Games to Watch (Oct. 20-22)