Sporting KC v FC Dallas: Preview, Predictions, Stats, Injuries, Suspensions and Roster Changes

Sporting KC v FC Dallas

When: Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 2:30 PM CT

Where: Children’s Mercy Park

How to Watch/Stream: FOX Sports Kansas City | FOX Sports Midwest Plus | Not ESPN+ (out of market) | fuboTV (locally)

How to Listen: Sports Radio 810 WHB | La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish)

After scoring zero goals in their first three games of the season, FC Dallas is hot. They have scored 13 goals in their last five games with the only non-multi-goal game coming against Sporting Kansas City two weeks ago. On Wednesday, FC Dallas laid four goals on the Colorado Rapids, including a hat-trick by Santiago Mosquera.

Kansas City cannot claim quite the hot streak, though they did break their four game winless streak with a 1-0 win over Minnesota United to reclaim first place in the Western Conference on Sunday night. They also posted only their third shutout of the season (the others being the 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake during MLS is Back and their 4-0 home opener against the Houston Dynamo).

Saturday will find Dallas just four points out of first place with a game in hand. They are in fourth and the entire Western Conference is only separated by nine points from top to bottom (it’s 16 points out East). All the schedule congestion is seeing teams really beat up on one another. The congestion starts again next week for SKC, but coming into this match they have nearly a full weeks rest compared to Dallas getting just two days off and having to fly to Missouri.

The rest seems to be key for Sporting KC as well. On the season they have won all but one game that had a week (or more) of rest in between and that loss can mostly be pinned on a Tim Melia red card that changed that game.

Interesting Stats

• These clubs remain tied in the all-time series after their 1-1 draw to start the month (25-25-13).
• “FC Dallas went winless in 10 trips to Children’s Mercy Park across all competitions from March 2012 to June 2018, but have gone 2-0-1 in their last three visits to the stadium since July 2018.” (By the Numbers)
• Across all competitions Sporting KC are an impressive 8-2-3 against FC Dallas at home over their last 13 meetings. SKC have averaged 2.23 goals per game over that stretch to Dallas’ 1.00.
• KC are third in the league in goals scored per game (1.91) but Dallas are fourth in goals against (1.00)
• Dallas have scored 10 goals in the second half this year. Six of those came in the final 15 minutes of the game. Sporting KC have allowed 60 percent of their goals against in the second half with 27 percent coming in the final 15 minutes.
• Dallas are tied for the league’s third stingiest defense with the Seattle Sounders and Philadelphia Union with 10 goals allowed. They trail only the Columbus Crew (4) and New York City FC (9).

What’s Changed for Dallas Since the Last Meeting?

Honestly, quite a bit. Even though the last meeting was only a bit over two weeks ago. The team has sent away two pretty huge transfers.

First, United States Men’s National Team fullback Reggie Cannon was transferred to Boavista FC (Portugal) for a reported $3 million fee. He sat out the last game against KC in anticipation of this move.

The other big move is that Dallas sold Zdenek Ondrasek to FC Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic. Ondrasek had to return home for family issues and to help him out they transferred him back to his country. He had nine goals and three assists in just over 1,000 minutes with Dallas. He’ll be missed, though they have lots of options to fill in, mostly young, less-proven players. Recently 2020 addition Franco Jara has stepped into that role but 17-year-old Ricardo Pepi can play there too. They have combined for five goals this year with Jara’s first coming against KC to start the month of September (he’s scored in three of his last five).

In addition, Dallas have had two of their transfers arrive (though the transfers were made before these teams last met). Midfielder Andres Ricaurte (on loan from Independiente Medellin - Columbia) has debuted and made three appearances. The attacking midfielder has made an immediate impact scoring a goal and adding an assist.

The other addition is goalkeeper Phelipe Megiolaro on loan from Gremio (Brazil). He will try to help replace the departed Jessie Gonzalez after his release due to alleged domestic violence incidents.

For all the other moves Dallas made before the first meeting, we’ve got you covered.

Injuries*

Sporting KC

OUT - Felipe Gutierrez (knee surgery), Ilie Sanchez (family issues), Daniel Salloi (unknown), Richard Sanchez (unknown), Roger Espinoza (the world’s worst cramp)

QUESTIONABLE - None

PROBABLE - Khiry Shelton (tightness), Alan Pulido (hamstring), , Erik Hurtado (unknown), Winston Reid (unknown)

*This has been updated with the official injury report and based on the below Tweets. Richard Sanchez is on the report for the first time and he and Daniel Salloi are both out. Sanchez wasn’t on the report last week, so does that rule him out for COVID? Someone on the team has it. Maybe they both do.

Dallas

OUT - Paxton Pomykal (hip), Kyle Zobek (groin)

QUESTIONABLE - Jimmy Maurer (calf), Bryan Acosta (quad)

3rd Degree is a great source for updates on Dallas.

Suspensions

Sporting KC - None (Gadi Kinda and Gianluca Busio suspended next yellow card)

Dallas - None (Thiago Santos suspended next yellow card)

Stats

Sporting KC

GOALS: Gadi Kinda, Khiry Shelton (4), Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell (3), Erik Hurtado (2), Roger Espinoza, Graham Zusi, Gerso Fernandes, Gianluca Busio (1)

ASSISTS: Pulido (4), Kinda, Luis Martins, Gerso (2), Roberto Puncec, Johnny Russell, Shelton, Jaylin Lindsey, Felipe Hernandez, Graham Zusi (1)

Dallas

GOALS: Santiago Mosquera (4), Franco Jara (3), Zdenek Ondrasek, Ricardo Pepi (2), Andres Ricaurte, Jesus Ferreira, Paxton Pomykal, Fafa Picault, Reto Ziegler (1)

ASSISTS: Michael Barrios (3), Bryan Acosta (2), 12 players with (1)

Form

Sporting KC - L / D / D / L / W (5 points)

Dallas - W / D / L / W / W (10 points)

Starting XI Predictions

This will come closer to the game. Peter Vermes has a press conference on Friday which will shed some light on who is actually available. Look out for that predictions article by the end of Friday.

Score Predictions

Dallas will be a good challenge. They have lots of players with speed on the wings, something that Sporting KC have struggled with. The only thing aiding KC is that Dallas are on short rest and are without their center forward, not that it’s slowed them down in recent games. Plus they added Ricaurte who is making everything move from the midfield.

There is no reason Kansas City can’t win this game. It’ll be a series of question marks as to who returns from injury, but even if they put out the same 11 as they did last week, they showed they can be dangerous. If they hold onto a shutout I’m sure they’ll fine a way to win. But that’s a big if.

I’m punishing Dallas for the lack of rest and having to travel and hopefully KC will too.

1-0 Sporting KC Win

What do you think? Predictions in the comments are welcome. Let’s chat about it.

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