"Five Things" is a season-long series presented by the Children's Mercy Sports Medicine Center that highlights the top storylines and players to watch ahead of each match. To visit the series archive, click here.
Stakes in the MLS is Back Tournament will heighten on Friday as Sporting Kansas City (2-1-0, 6 points) and the Colorado Rapids (2-1-0) look to bounce back from defeats in their opening games of the competition and bolster their chances of progression to the knockout rounds. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. CT with live coverage on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, the ESPN app, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM. Sporting KC Live will also treat fans to 60 minutes of pregame coverage on FOX Sports Kansas City starting at 6 p.m. CT.
The penultimate group stage contest carries utmost importance for both teams, as Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United FC currently occupy the top two spots in Group D. As Sporting and Colorado prepare to lock horns for the 79th time since joining MLS as charter members in 1996, here's everything you need to about Friday night's clash at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Walt Disney World.
1. Chasing in Group D
A quick refresher: the 24 participating clubs in the MLS is Back Tournament have been divided into six groups of four. The top two finishers in each group and the four best third-place finishers will progress to the Round of 16. After the first set of group stage contests, RSL and Minnesota sit on three points while Sporting and Colorado have zero.
Consequently, a loss would put either team squarely behind the eight-ball heading into next week's group stage finales. Should Sporting defeat the Rapids, Manager Peter Vermes' men would once again control their fate ahead of an enticing 8 a.m. CT matchup with Real Salt Lake next Wednesday.
2. Enter Richard Sanchez
Sporting dominated the first hour of action against Minnesota last weekend, only to come undone in second-half stoppage time as the Loons struck in the 92nd and 97th minutes. A flashbulb moment that contributed to Sunday's momentum swing was the ejection of goalkeeper Tim Melia in the 74th minute, which forced Sporting to play a man down for the rest of the game.
With Melia serving a red card suspension, goalkeeper Richard Sanchez is set to make his first start in a Sporting uniform. The 26-year-old joined the club last November and has nine seasons of professional experience under his belt, including a three-year stint with the Chicago Fire from 2017-2019. Sanchez has logged 28 career MLS appearances and has the firm backing of his teammates, with Gerso Fernandes saying earlier this week, "Sporting brought Sanchez into (the team) because they knew he was a good goalkeeper and someone who can help. If he plays on Friday, he has total confidence from everybody, and I think he feels that. No problem with Richard playing at all."
3. Holy Pulido
It's been easy to see why Sporting splashed a club-record transfer fee in December to acquire the services of Alan Pulido. The 29-year-old Mexican has scored or assists in each of his first three appearances for the club, notching two goals and two assists in 262 minutes of action. He is one of two MLS players, alongside fellow MLS newcomer Lucas Zelarayan of Columbus Crew SC, with multiple goals and assists in 2020.
Pulido's strikes against Vancouver and Houston garnered early-season headlines, but arguably his best moment of brilliance came Sunday when he flicked the ball past Minnesota captain Michael Boxall in the lead-up to Khiry Shelton's go-ahead goal (see clip below).
4. Shelton Shining
Pulido has earned rave reviews thus far, but so too has fellow forward Khiry Shelton. The versatile attacker returned to Sporting in December after spending 2019 wither German side SC Paderborn 07, and Shelton's time in the Bundesliga appears to have strengthened his game.
Shelton looked sharp during Sporting's red-hot start to 2020 and found the back of the net Sunday versus Minnesota, marking the first time in his 77-game MLS career that the player has scored in consecutive regular season matches. The 27-year-old hasn't just scored goals, either. He leads MLS forwards in duels won and ranks among the league leaders in chances created from open play.
5. Familiar Faces
Colorado lost its tournament opener on Sunday, but not before winning consecutive games to begin the regular season for the first time since 2012. Indeed, the Rapids appear to be headed in the right direction under head coach Robin Fraser, who has gone 7-3-0 since taking over on Aug. 25, 2019. Colorado notably scored 58 goals, second-most in club history, during a 2019 campaign that fell just short of a playoff berth despite a dismal 0-9-2 start.
A pair of former Sporting Kansas City forwards were instrumental in Colorado's offensive uptick last year. Kei Kamara led the side with 14 goals, while Diego Rubio was close behind with 11. The 35-year-old Kamara has recorded five straight MLS seasons of at least 12 goals, while Rubio scored in both appearances against Sporting last season—a 1-1 tie in Colorado followed by a 3-2 Rapids win at Children's Mercy Park.
