After a two-week pause in MLS regular season play, Sporting Kansas City (5-8-3, 18 points) returns to Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., on Sunday at 4 p.m. for its second meeting of the 2016 season with FC Dallas (8-4-4, 28 points).
ESPN and ESPN Deportes will televise the Western Conference matchup, with live radio broadcasts airing on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.
A limited number of tickets for the home game, including standing-room only tickets, are still available via Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. The first 10,000 fans through the gates at Children’s Mercy Park will receive free rally towels.
Entering the second half of the MLS regular season, Sporting Kansas City currently sits at eighth place in the Western Conference standings and 11th place in the Supporters’ Shield table.
Though Sporting KC managed to best Minnesota United FC on Wednesday night in the Round of 32 of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the team hasn’t seen a win in MLS regular season play in its past three games, and has only one win in its last 11 matches.
FC Dallas, on the other hand, has shot up the table this season. The Texas team is currently second place in both the Western Conference and the Supporters’ Shield standings, trailing only the Colorado Rapids. In fact, the team hasn’t lost a game in its past five matches, and most recently played Houston Dynamo to a draw on June 2. However, all four of FC Dallas’ losses this 2016 regular season have been on the road, with the most recent loss to Toronto FC on May 7.
Sporting KC and FC Dallas came face-to-face once before during their 2016 campaigns on April 17, when Sporting KC fell 2-1 on their opponent’s home soil. Lawrence Olum gave Peter Vermes’ side an early lead with his goal in the 22nd minute, but Michael Barrios equalized the score only 13 minutes later. In the 68th minute, Mauro Rosales sealed the victory for FC dallas with a free kick. Despite Sporting KC’s loss to the Texas side earlier this season, the home team has won on each occasion in the last five meetings between the two clubs in all competitions.
Matches between the two Western Conference teams also have a history of being high-scoring. Sporting KC and FC Dallas have 23 goals combined in just their last five meetings across all competitions. Twelve of the past 14 games between the two sides have also produced three or more goals, and Sporting KC has scored in 11 straight meetings with Dallas.
– Story from Sporting KC