"This Week in Sporting," presented by The Smile Generation, is a weekly series that highlights the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City.
1. Downing Dallas
Forwards Alan Pulido and Daniel Salloi struck on both sides of halftime and goalkeeper Tim Melia claimed his second straight shutout as first-place Sporting Kansas City (11-4-4, 37 points) handed FC Dallas (5-8-6, 21 points) their first home loss in 12 months with a 2-0 victory on Saturday night at Toyota Stadium.
Dallas entered the evening with an 18-game home undefeated streak and a six-game unbeaten run against Sporting, but Manager Peter Vermes' men delivered a spirited performance to keep their two-point lead atop the Western Conference table and improve to 4-0-1 in their last five road matches since the start of July.
2. Back Home Wednesday
On the heels of an impressive 2-0 road win over FC Dallas on Saturday, Western Conference leaders Sporting Kansas City (11-4-4, 37 points) will conclude a busy stretch of seven matches in 22 days by taking the field twice this week as the Supporters' Shield race intensifies.
At 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Sporting will host the Portland Timbers (7-9-2, 23 points) at Children's Mercy Park for the first time since 2019. Tickets for the game are available at SeatGeek.com and the first 5,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive a commemorative felt pennant courtesy of match sponsor Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Bally Sports Kansas City Plus, Bally Sports Midwest Plus, BallySports.com and the Bally Sports app will show three hours of live coverage starting at 7 p.m. CT, while the Sporting KC app will provide additional in-game updates and exclusive offers. Listeners can also catch the action live locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM, with The Final Whistle postgame show immediately following on 810 WHB.
3. Loons on Saturday
After hosting Portland, Sporting will travel to face regional rivals Minnesota United FC (7-6-5, 26 points) in a nationally televised showdown on Saturday afternoon at Allianz Field. The first of three meetings between the clubs this season is set for 2:30 p.m. CT with live coverage on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, the ESPN app, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM. The Final Whistle postgame show will air immediately afterward on 810 WHB.
4. Tune In Tuesday
A new episode of the Sporting KC Show Podcast will debut Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT on Sports Radio 810 WHB. Hosts Nate Bukaty, Aly Trost and Conall McCourt will hear from a Sporting guest, recap an exciting weekend of MLS action and look ahead to upcoming matches against Portland and Minnesota. The Sporting KC Show Podcast is available on Spotify, iTunes and SportingKC.com, giving supporters a weekly destination to catch up on club storylines, player achievements, guest interviews and more.
5. From the Owner
Sporting Kansas City principal owner Cliff Illig joined Sports Radio 810 WHB on Friday for an insightful hour-long segment that spanned a variety of compelling topics tied to the club and the sport of soccer in the United States. Fans can catch the must-listen interview by clicking here.
6. SKC II on Sunday
Sporting Kansas City II (3-12-5, 14 points) will continue their USL Championship campaign on Sunday, hosting Central Division counterparts Indy Eleven (6-7-4, 22 points) at Children's Mercy Park. The contest will kick off at 4 p.m. CT and stream live on ESPN Plus.
