Starting XI: Timely Intervention

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.

Top-seeded Sporting KC opened their 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs campaign with a 1-1 road result at No. 6 seed Real Salt Lake on Sunday in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals. Chilean international Diego Rubio scored the game-tying goal 38 seconds after entering the match as a second-half substitute in the 60th minute to send the home-and-away series back to Kansas City on level terms.

2. Sunday Matinee

Major League Soccer announced last night that the decisive second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals between Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake will kick off this Sunday at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.

• BUY PLAYOFF TICKETS: #SKCvRSL at Children's Mercy Park

Tickets for Sporting KC’s first home playoff match at Children's Mercy Park since the 2013 MLS Cup—a penalty shootout victory over Real Salt Lake—are now available at SeatGeek.com.

3. Seal the Deal

After coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw, Sporting KC know exactly what they must do against Real Salt Lake in Sunday's decisive second leg at Children's Mercy Park. Manager Peter Vermes' side can advance to the Western Conference Championship of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs with either a win or a scoreless draw. A home victory over RSL would see top-seeded Sporting KC advance on aggregate, while a 0-0 tie would give the hosts the away goals tiebreaker. Conversely, a draw involving four or more total goals (2-2, 3-3, etc.) would give the away goals tiebreaker to RSL.

4. Rubio Roars

Rubio’s instant impact off the bench extended one of the storylines that has come to define Sporting KC in 2018. No other MLS club has received more goals from substitutes this season than Sporting KC’s 13, and no individual player has scored more as a sub than Rubio. With his expertly taken right-footed curler on Sunday, Rubio bagged his fifth MLS goal from off the bench this season. That’s two more than any other player in the league and tied for third-most during Major League Soccer’s Opta era (2010-present).

Sunday’s equalizer also carried historical significance, marking just the second time in MLS postseason history that a substitute has scored in the same minute that he entered the game. The first such occurrence came in October 1999 when Chicago Fire halftime substitute Dema Kovalenko scored 54 seconds into the second half.

5. Vote Sporting

Have you voted yet, SKC Nation? Jimmy Medranda’s long-range stunner from April’s 6-0 win over Vancouver is up for AT&T MLS Goal of the Year, while Tim Melia’s remarkable stop to deny Yordy Reyna in the same game is up for MLS Save of the Year. Voting in both categories is open at MLSsoccer.com through Sunday night.

6. Brilliant Barry

Swope Park Rangers forward Hadji Barry was named to the 2018 USL All-League Second Team on Monday, the United Soccer League announced. Barry, the Swope Park Rangers Team MVP in 2018, led the squad in scoring with a career-high 19 goals this season, fourth most in the USL and a new single-season club record. The 25-year-old scored in 11 of the club's last 12 games as he broke a USL record by recording goals in eight straight matches between Aug. 19 and Sept. 22.

7. Sounders Hobbled

Seattle Sounders FC emerged from the first leg of their conference semifinal series with the Portland Timbers down a goal and without a few key players. Portland took a 2-1 victory on Sunday at Providence Park, overcoming Raul Ruidiaz’s early goal with first-half strikes to Jeremy Ebobisse an Sebastian Blanco. To make matters worse for Seattle, influential starters Cristian Roldan and Chad Marshall were forced off before halftime with injuries. Needless to say, it all sets up for a fascinating return leg on Thursday night at CenturyLink Field (9:30 p.m. CT, FS1).

8. Advantage Atlanta

Atlanta United FC fell short in the Supporters’ Shield race after holding first place for most of the regular season, but Tata Martino’s side enjoyed a strong start to their playoff campaign Sunday night as they defeated New York City FC 1-0 at Yankee Stadium on a 37th-minute Eric Remedi goal. The result puts Atlanta in prime position to seal the deal when they host NYFC in this Sunday’s second leg of the conference semifinals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (4:30 p.m. CT, ESPN).

9. Red Bull Blues

The New York Red Bulls may have won the 2018 Supporters’ Shield, but they’ve dug themselves an early hole in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Federico Higuain came off the bench at halftime to assist Gyasi Zardes’ game-winner as Columbus Crew SC posted a 1-0 win in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at MAPFRE Stadium, putting plenty of pressure on the Red Bulls ahead of this Sunday’s second leg at Red Bull Arena (6:30 p.m. CT, FS1).

10. Back to Florida

After featuring in Sporting KC’s matchday squad against Real Salt Lake on Sunday, 18-year-old homegrown defender Jaylin Lindsey will rejoin the United States U-20 Men’s National Team for the resumption of the Concacaf U-20 Championship at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Lindsey, who featured in the U-20s’ 7-1 win over Puerto Rico to open the group stage last Thursday, will be available for the Americans’ final two group-stage matches this week. The U-20s face Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at 7 p.m. CT Wednesday and Suriname at 4:30 p.m. CT Friday, with both games streaming live on Concacaf GO.

11. Youngsters Prevail

The Sporting KC Academy U-15s erased a late deficit to earn a wild 2-1 win over San Antonio FC in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy on Saturday at Swope Soccer Village. Trailing 1-0 heading into the final 10 minutes, U.S. youth international Osvaldo Cisneros struck twice to vault his team victory.

Three Sporting KC Academy sides—the U-15s, U-17s and U-19s—return to action on Nov. 17 and 18 with a weekend road trip to Dallas, where they will face Solar SC and the Dallas Texans. Follow @SKCAcademy on Twitter for news updates throughout the season and visit SportingKCAcademy.com to explore the Academy’s brand-new website.

Games to Watch (Nov. 6-8, 2018)