Sporting KC home opener versus Philly after opening season at LAFC

Major League Soccer has announced the home openers for 2019. Sporting Kansas City opens the MLS season with a trip to face Los Angeles Football Club on Sunday, March 3 and then returns home to play the Philadelphia Union Sunday, March 10.

Sporting KC played LAFC twice last year and beat the expansion side both times. SKC won 2-0 on the road and then beat Bob Bradley’s team 2-1 at Children’s Mercy Park to close out the regular season. LAFC finished third in the Western Conference in their inaugural season with 16-9-9 record.

The Union made the playoffs last year after beating SKC 2-0 September 23^rd in a rainy Philadelphia. Jay Simpson scored his only two goals of the year against Sporting KC for the win.

Short rest for season opener

Sporting KC will actually be on short rest going into the season opener in Los Angeles. SKC will have played February 21^st in Kansas City and the 28^th in Mexico versus Toluca FC. Sporting KC and Toluca FC are playing a home and home series at they start their 2019 CONCACAF Champions League campaign. SKC manager Peter Vermes will have to have his men ready for LAFC three days after playing in Mexico.

From the Stats and Research team

This will be the sixth time Sporting KC has faced the same opponent to open a season as they did in the last game of the previous season. Thanks to Mike Kuhn, the head of our Stats and Research for this information.

Anyone headed to LA? Or make a long trip of it and go to Mexico and then LA?