Five Things is a weekly series on SportingKC.com that highlights the top storylines, players to watch and matchday programming ahead of each game throughout the season.
Sporting Kansas City will put a three-game winning streak on the line Saturday when the club welcomes Minnesota United FC to Children’s Mercy Park. A limited number of tickets for the 7:30 p.m. matchup are available via SeatGeek.com, and the first 10,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive a camo bandana courtesy of match sponsor Pier Masters. The Western Conference clash will also air live on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.
Manager Peter Vermes’ men have hit their stride during the month of August, rattling off three consecutive shutout victories to keep within touching distance of first-place FC Dallas, while the Loons are winless in four straight and have their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. With both teams having plenty to play for on Saturday, let’s take a look at five major storylines surrounding the fixture.
1. August and Everything After
What a difference three weeks can make.
At the end of July, Sporting KC was stuck in a five-game winless skid that had seen opponents pour in 14 goals. Fast-forward to now, and the club has taken all nine points available to re-enter the discussion as a serious contender in the West.
Essential to this turnaround has been Sporting KC’s defensive form. The side has posted three straight shutout wins for just the fifth time in team history, thanks in part to the return of veteran and steadying presence Seth Sinovic at left back. Tim Melia has also become the eighth MLS goalkeeper ever to notch 10 or more clean sheets in back-to-back years.
Remarkably enough, Sporting KC hasn’t won four on the trot since 2014. They’ll have the opportunity to do just that on Saturday night.
2. Diego’s Delight
Sporting KC’s uptick has coincided with the emergence of red-hot forward Diego Rubio, who has spearheaded the three-game winning streak with one stellar performance after another. His brace in last weekend’s 3-0 defeat of the Portland Timbers came after a game-winning goal at Houston on Aug. 4 and a game-winning assist at LAFC on Aug. 11.
Crunching the numbers further, Rubio ranks among the most efficient attackers in MLS this year. Among players with at least five goals, he leads the league with 1.21 goals per 90 minutes. His 60.0 scoring percentage — calculated by dividing his goal total (six) by his shot total (10) — is currently the second best in MLS history for a single season.
Minnesota’s backline has struggled ever since the club joined MLS in 2017, and with Rubio and Sporting KC high on confidence, the Loons could have their hands full again this weekend.
3. Familiar Foes
Minnesota is the lone team Sporting KC will face three times during the regular season. The first meeting, a 1-1 draw on May 20 in Minneapolis, saw Khiry Shelton and Darwin Quintero trade first-half goals. The most recent tilt saw Vermes’ side dominate from start to finish in a 4-1 victory at Children’s Mercy Park.
Sporting KC has outshot Minnesota 49-13 across the first two meetings this season. The Loons are also looking for their first-ever result at Children’s Mercy Park, having suffered three losses at the stadium in all competitions with one goal scored and 11 allowed.
4. No Darwinism
Acquired as a Designated Player this spring, Minnesota forward Darwin Quintero has been as good as advertised, and almost certainly the best player to ever wear a Loons uniform. The Colombian has racked up 10 goals and nine assists in 19 MLS matches, leading Minnesota in both categories, and has scored or assisted in six straight appearances.
The bad news for head coach Adrian Heath and the Loons? Quintero is likely to miss Saturday's game with a leg injury. The 30-year-old is Minnesota’s most important puzzle piece, and his absence will do no favors for a team that owns an abysmal 1-10-1 away record.
5. Sporting Salutes
In conjunction with Saturday’s match, Sporting KC will host the second annual Sporting Salutes, an immersive military appreciation night recognizing the sacrifices of service personnel and their families across all branches of the United States Armed Forces. With approximately 140,000 military veterans living in the Kansas City metropolitan area, Sporting Salutes will give Sporting KC and its supporters the opportunity to express gratitude to those who have served the country. Headlining the initiative is a special pregame ceremony that will honor local veterans of World War II.
Fans will also be able to visit SportingStyle locations to purchase a variety of camo merchandise, including the limited-edition camo training tee and the scarf of the match. The Sporting Salutes camo training tee is available now for matchday preorder at SportingStyle.com.
