Starting XI: Money in the Banc

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 KC (11-6-6, 39 points) earned a momentous 2-0 victory over Los Angeles Football Club (10-7-6, 36 points) on Saturday night, using goals from Gerso Fernandes and Ilie Sanchez to vault into second place in the Western Conference. Fernandes struck in the 17th minute and Ilie added a 66th-minute penalty kick as Sporting KC snapped LAFC’s 13-game home unbeaten run in all competitions and became the first visiting club to emerge victorious at the new Banc of California Stadium.

2. Gate Crashers

Manager Peter Vermes' men delivered arguably their best performance of the season on Saturday, prevailing 2-0 and inflict a first-ever home defeat for LAFC. Sporting KC has now given six different opponents their first-ever regular season loss in their current home stadium. No other MLS club has more than two such victories.

Saturday's result gave Sporting KC 350 all-time wins in all competitions as well as their fifth road triumph of 2018, more than the previous two regular seasons combined. The workmanlike effort also continued a remarkable trend of success in the state of California: since the start of 2016, Sporting KC owns a 4-0-2 record in California with just two goals conceded in those six games.

3. Timbers Tango

With two straight road wins under their belts, Manager Peter Vermes' men will now return home for a pivotal showdown the third-place Portland Timbers (10-4-7, 37 points) this Saturday at Children's Mercy Park. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and a limited number of tickets are available via SeatGeek.com.

Saturday's match will air live on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Midwest Plus and FOX Sports GO, with three hours of coverage beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM will carry the game over the radio, while the Sporting KC Uphoria app will provide live updates and an exclusive offer for free Talenti gelato courtesy of Price Chopper.

4. Beat the Lines

SportingStyle has reopened matchday pre-orders for pickup at Saturday's game between Sporting KC and Portland. Fans can shop for an assortment of items between now and Saturday, including the Kansas City landmarks-themed scarf, the men’s navy drop tail T-shirt and the women’s navy shield tank top. 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.

5. Wild West

For the second straight weekend, results in the Western Conference unfolded just as Sporting KC would have preferred. Leaders FC Dallas took a 2-1 loss on Sunday night to Seattle Sounders FC, who posted their club-record fifth straight league win. A night earlier, the Portland Timbers lost 2-1 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC to bring an end to their 15-game unbeaten run, the LA Galaxy were held to a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United FC and Real Salt Lake coughed up a lead in a 1-1 draw with the Montreal Impact.

6. Tight at the Top

Both New York club moved within a point of Supporters' Shield leaders Atlanta United FC this weekend, with the Red Bulls topping the Chicago Fire 1-0 and New York City FC winning a 3-2 thriller over Toronto FC. Further down the table, the Philadelphia Union earned a vital 3-2 win over the New England Revolution to leapfrog the Revs and into playoff position, but the game of the weekend involved two teams below the playoff line. D.C. United knocked off Orlando City SC 3-2 on a 96th-minute goal that saw Wayne Rooney make a heroic tackle at midfield and serve a long ball into the box that Luciano Acosta headed home to complete his hat-trick.

7. Midweek Matches

MLS serves up an excellent slate of midweek action, with several of Sporting KC's nearest Western Conference rivals taking the field. The LA Galaxy will host the Colorado Rapids on Tuesday (9:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+) before D.C. United welcomes Portland (7 p.m. CT, ESPN+) and LAFC hosts Real Salt Lake (9 p.m. CT, ESPN2) on Wednesday. The Galaxy, LAFC and Portland all have the opportunity to provisionally leap Sporting KC in the crowded standings if they secure victories.

8. All for the Victory

The fourth annual Victory Gala will take place at 6 p.m. CT Friday at the historic Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City (200 W 12th St). Serving as the flagship fundraising event for The Victory Project, the philanthropic arm of Sporting KC, the Victory Gala will feature silent and live auction items including a private jet getaway, luxury vacations, VIP experiences at Children’s Mercy Park and more. In addition to bidding on auction items, guests will be treated to dinner and live music from Los Wax, Kansas City's premiere party band. For more information or to purchase a table, visit VictoryKC.org/gala.

9. Sunday with SPR

Led by head coach Paulo Nagamura, the Swope Park Rangers (9-9-6, 33 points) will look to bounce back from Saturday's 2-0 loss to Portland Timbers 2 when they host Reno 1868 FC (10-5-7, 37 points) at 4 p.m. CT Sunday inside Children's Mercy Park. SPR currently holds the eighth and final playoff spot in the USL's Western Conference with 10 matches still to play. Tickets for Sunday's match are available via SeatGeek.com or at the stadium's east box office on gameday, and ESPN+ will stream the game live.

10. Put on a Clinic

In conjunction with Sunday's match, the Rangers Matchday Soccer Clinic will take place from 4-8 p.m. CT at Children's Mercy Park. Player registration is now open and all participants will receive two general admission tickets to Sunday's game before taking the field for a 60-minute clinic on the pitch, which includes autograph and photo opportunities with Rangers players.

11. Raise the Curtains

The first weekend of the 2018-19 English Premier League season served up few surprises, with Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea all prevailing against outmatched opponents. That hasn't stopped a steady stream of drama, however, as Manchester United midfielder and French World Cup champion Paul Pogba has been linked with a move to Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona after allegedly becoming unsettled under United manager Jose Mourinho.

Games to Watch (Aug. 14-15, 2018)