Sporting KC v FC Dallas: Preview, Predictions & How to Watch

Sporting KC @ FC Dallas

When: Sunday, October 9th, 2022 at 4:00 PM CT (Kickoff 4:18)

Where: Toyota Stadium

How to Watch/Stream: 38 the Spot | ESPN+ (out of market) | SportingKC.com & SKC App (in market) | Sporting One App on Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV

Another week and another win for Sporting Kansas City. Their defeat of the Seattle Sounders at home puts them at six straight wins at home and seven straight unbeaten overall. They have a pace that is behind only CF Montreal since August 1st and a few result changes here or there and they’d be one of the most dangerous teams entering the playoffs.

But alas, they are relegated to playing the role of spoiler one more time. This time, it won’t have the potential to be as satisfying as being the nail in the coffin of the Sounders season, keeping them out of the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in their clubs history.

Instead, Sporting KC will have some sway over how high (or low) Dallas finishes. I’ll let fellow The Blue Testament staffer Mike Kuhn explain.

These teams have already met twice in 2022. Sporting KC won the most recent meeting in the US Open Cup where neither team put out a first choice lineup but a late header by Marinos Tzionis sent the game into extra time where SKC would win 4-2. In league play Sporting KC hosted a 2-2 draw in April. This will be the first visit to Frisco for KC this year.

Dallas’ Recent Form

• August 27th vs. Real Salt Lake — 1-1 Draw
• September 3rd @ Minnesota United — 3-0 Win
• Sept. 10th vs. LAFC — 2-1 Win
• Sept. 17th @ San Jose Earthquakes — 1-1 Draw
• October 1st @ Colorado Rapids — 0-1 Loss

Dallas also had a loss to Tigres (Liga MX) by a scoreline of three to nil wedged into the international break between SJ and COL.

What’s new for Dallas since the last meeting?

The preview for the first meeting between these clubs came out at the end of April, check that out for the full slate of offseason moves.

IN: The team has made three additions since that last regular season meeting. They added midfielder Thomas Roberts on loan from Klagenfurt (Austria), traded for Sebastian Lletget from the New England Revolution and brought up forward Bernard Kamungo from North Texas SC (MLS Next Pro). Roberts hasn’t played, Kamungo has one appearance for 20 minutes and Lletget has been a regular (nine appearances, eight starts and 729 minutes).

OUT: Winger Szabolcs Schön was sent out via transfer to MOL Fehérvár FC (Hungary).

Injuries/Availability*

Sporting KC

OUT - Alan Pulido (knee surgery), Gadi Kinda (SEI - knee surgery), Tim Melia (hamstring), Ozzie Cisneros (hamstring)

QUESTIONABLE - None

*This has been updated based on the official injury report.

Dallas

OUT - Bernard Kamungo (right ankle)

QUESTIONABLE - None

Stats

Sporting KC

Goals: Johnny Russell, Willy Agada (8), Daniel Salloi (7), Remi Walter, Erik Thommy (3), Roger Espinoza, Andreu Fontas, Felipe Hernandez (2), Marinos Tzionis, Graham Zusi, Robert Voloder, Khiry Shelton (1)

Assists: Daniel Salloi (5), Roger Espinoza (4), Felipe Hernandez, Cam Duke, Ben Sweat (3), Remi Walter, Graham Zusi, Willy Agada (2), Uri Rosell, Khiry Shelton, Kayden Pierre, Erik Thommy, Johnny Russell (1)

Dallas

Goals: Jesus Ferreira (18), Paul Arriola (9), Alan Velasco (6), Franco Jara (3), Jader Obrian, Brandon Servania (2), four with one (1)

Assists: Arriola, Velasco (6), Ferreira, Sebastian Lletget, Paxton Pomykal (5), Marco Farfan, Obrian (4), Servania (3), Nanu, Ema Twumasi (2), two with one (1)

Starting XI Predictions

I imagine Sporting KC aren’t going to mix things up too much, but I would like to see some of the younger guys get a run out. Particularly the three U-22 players: Robert Voloder, Logan Ndenbe and Marinos Tzionis. However, I fully expect starts from Graham Zusi and Roger Espinoza just in case it’s their last appearance for Sporting KC (though it doesn’t sound like it in Zusi’s case).

Back to front, right to left (barring injury updates to this story): Pulskamp, Zusi, Isimat-Mirin, Voloder, Ndenbe, Walter, Thommy, Espinoza, Russell, Agada, Tzionis

Predictions

Despite the recent success of Sporting KC, they are still subpar on the road. They are just 2-9-5 and haven’t won away from home since July 9th in Montreal (ironically the only team better than them down the stretch this year). I full believe they can go into Dallas and win but it feels more likely that Dallas will find a way with so much on the line.

Then again, maybe they’ll crack under the pressure. It’s not like home games mean much to Dallas with their sparsely attended games anyways.

2-1 FC Dallas Win

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