Starting XI: Fireworks in Frisco

Starting XI, presented by StorageMart, 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.

Sporting Kansas City (17-8-8, 59 points) earned a resounding 3-0 win over FC Dallas (16-8-9, 57 points) on Sunday at Toyota Stadium, receiving goals from Daniel Salloi, Roger Espinoza and Johnny Russell to leapfrog their opponents for first place in the Western Conference with one regular season match still to play.

2. The Playoffs are Coming

The victory ensures that Sporting KC can finish no worse than fourth place in the West heading into next Sunday’s all-important Decision Day duel with LAFC at Children’s Mercy Park. As a result, Sporting KC is guaranteed to host at least one game in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, marking the first time the club has hosted a postseason match since winning MLS Cup on Dec. 7, 2013.

Tickets for Sporting KC’s freshly clinched home playoff tilt at Children’s Mercy Park are now on sale via SeatGeek.com. Season Ticket Members will automatically retain their seats for all playoff matches, excluding the MLS Cup final, and can contact their Client Services Executive for questions and further information.

3. Seeding Scenarios

Sporting KC will enter Decision Day occupying first place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of LAFC and FC Dallas and three ahead of Seattle Sounders FC, but their job is far from finished. Sporting KC still has seeding to play for when they face LAFC at 3:30 p.m. CT on Sunday.

Sporting KC can clinch a No. 1 seed if…

• Sporting KC beats LAFC, OR
• Sporting KC ties LAFC, AND
  FC Dallas fails to beat Colorado by 15 or more goals

Sporting KC can clinch a No. 2 seed if…

• Sporting KC ties LAFC, AND
  FC Dallas beats Colorado by 15 or more goals, OR
• Sporting KC loses to LAFC, AND
  Colorado beats or ties FC Dallas, AND
  San Jose beats or ties Seattle

4. Decision Day Headliner

Sporting KC’s regular season finale against LAFC at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday will be televised nationally on FS1 and FOX Deportes as part of MLS Decision Day 2018 presented by AT&T, Major League Soccer announced today.

Sunday’s highly anticipated showdown, one of 11 MLS matches set to kick off simultaneously at 3:30 p.m. CT, pits the top two teams in the Western Conference as first-place Sporting KC hosts second-place LAFC with playoff seeding on the line.  The national broadcast will also include live look-ins to the most significant moments in the other 10 games as Decision Day determines the Supporters’ Shield winner, the top seeds in each conference, and which clubs qualify for the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.

5. Shooting to the Top

Sporting KC's latest triumph, their first at Toyota Stadium since 2011, proved historic on a number of levels. The biggest record-breaker came in the 64th minute when Roger Espinoza prodded home from close range to put Sporting KC ahead 2-0. That play gave Sporting KC 62 regular season goals and 30 away goals in 2018, setting all-time bests in both categories. This season has seen Sporting KC rewrite the record books with all-time highs in goals, away goals, assists, shots, chances created and big chances created.

6. Best of the Week

MLSsoccer.com’s penultimate Team of the Week has a distinct Sporting KC flair to it. After securing two massive road wins in the space of four days, three Sporting KC players joined Manager Peter Vermes among the best performers in Week 34.

Today marks the first MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week coaching selection for Vermes, who has steered his side to first place in the Western Conference ahead of Sunday’s crucial Decision Day finale against LAFC at Children’s Mercy Park. The weekly accolade also went to forward Daniel Salloi, defender Matt Besler and goalkeeper Tim Melia, all of whom shouldered leading roles for a Sporting KC side that clinched a home playoff game with Sunday’s win against FC Dallas.

7. Russell Nets History

On the same day Sporting KC set club records for most goals and away goals in a regular season, newcomer Johnny Russell entered rarefied air of his own. The Scottish international continued his brilliant debut campaign in MLS on Sunday, firing home the final goal in a resounding 3-0 victory over FC Dallas that saw Sporting KC leapfrog their opponents for first place in the Western Conference.

In doing so, Russell became just the fourth player in Sporting KC history to record double-digit goals and assists in the same regular season. The 28-year-old joins the exclusive club alongside former greats Preki, Josh Wolff and Benny Feilhaber.

8. Zusi Sells Well

Sporting KC right back Graham Zusi came in at No. 21 on the list of Major League Soccer's best-selling jerseys in 2018, the league announced today. Zusi, the lone defender among the top 25, is the only player to be on the list for a fifth straight season.

9. Rangers Silence Sac-Town

The Swope Park Rangers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals of the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs with a come-from-behind 2-1 road road win over Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday. Villyan Bijev fired Sacramento ahead in the 16th minutes, but the visitor rallied with a pair of quick goals before halftime from Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal and Hadji Barry. Resolute defending would see SPR seal the upset and eliminate Republic FC for the second straight year.

Led by head coach Paulo Nagamura, the Rangers will continue their pursuit of a third straight Western Conference title when they travel to face Phoenix Rising FC on Friday night. Kickoff at Phoenix Rising FC Soccer Complex is set for 9:30 p.m. CT with a live stream on ESPN+.

10. Beat the Lines

SportingStyle has reopened matchday pre-orders for pickup at Sunday's game between Sporting KC and LAFC. Fans can shop a limited assortment of items between now and Sunday, including the Sporting KC monogram scarf of the match. The SportingStyle Pop-In Store is also open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Budweiser Brew House at Children's Mercy Park. Follow @SportingStyle on Twitter and Instagram for sneak peeks of all the latest club apparel.

11. Total Gamers

From 6-8 p.m. CT on Friday, Sporting Kansas City Homegrown duo Gianluca Busio and Daniel Salloi will play fans in the newly released EA SPORTS FIFA 19 video game on Twitch. To participate, players can add eSportingKC on the PlayStation Network, send eSportingKC an invite to a FIFA 19 match and watch the stream until they are selected to play.

Games to Watch (Oct. 23-24, 2018)