Sporting Kansas City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps | MLS Match Preview

Sporting Kansas City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, August 15, 2015

SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC
SPORTING PARK, Kansas City, Kan.
August 15, 2015 (WEEK 24, MLS Game #240)
8 p.m. CT (TSN2 / RDS2; KMCI-38)

A critical match at the top end of the Western Conference kicks off when Sporting Kansas City entertain Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday evening at Sporting Park. The hosts return home off of another quality result, defeating Toronto FC 3-1 last weekend at BMO Field. SKC trails the West leaders by five points in the standings, after a third consecutive win for Whitecaps FC and second in a row by shutout, in a dominating 4-0 win against Real Salt Lake at BC Place last weekend.


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  • Benny Feilhaber continued his hot streak, scoring a goal and adding an assist as Sporting Kansas City ended a quick two-game winless run with a 3-1 victory at Toronto FC on Saturday afternoon. Feilhaber moved into a tie for the MLS lead with his 12th assist of the season; he has eight goals and eight assists over the last 14 league games, dating back to April 25.
  • Whitecaps FC rolled to a third consecutive victory in impressive fashion, steaming to a 4-0 win against Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening at BC Place. Whitecaps FC have scored 10 goals in the three victories and won the last two games by shutout; Cristian Techera scored his first two-goal game in MLS to seal the Vancouver triumph.
  • The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Kevin Ellis scored the game’s only goal early in the second half to lead Sporting to victory, July 12 at BC Place.
  • The win was Sporting’s first vs. Vancouver since 2012. Whitecaps FC won the lone meeting between the teams last year, a 2-0 win at BC Place on Aug. 10 that is their only win in six matches in the all-time series.


REFEREE: Juan Guzman. AR1 (bench): Fabio Tovar; AR2 (opposite): Peter Balciunas; 4th: Nima Saghafi
MLS Career: 58 games; FC/gm: 25.5; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 20; pens: 14


SUSPENDED: VAN: Kendall Waston (caution accumulation; through Aug. 16)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: KC: Kevin Ellis, Benny Feilhaber … VAN: Sam Adekugbe, Pa-Modou Kah
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: KC: Roger Espinoza, Soni Mustivar, Matt Besler … VAN: Matias Laba, Jordan Harvey, Steven Beitashour, Gershon Koffie, Nicolas Mezquida
DISABLED LIST: KC: Ike Opara … VAN: Andre Lewis
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none


HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (6 meetings): Sporting 3 wins, 10 goals … Whitecaps FC 1 win, 8 goals … Ties 2
AT KANSAS CITY (3 meetings): Sporting 1 win, 3 goals … Whitecaps FC 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 1


  • The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Kevin Ellis scored the game’s only goal early in the second half to lead Sporting to victory, July 12 at BC Place.
  • The win was Sporting’s first vs. Vancouver since 2012. Whitecaps FC won the lone meeting between the teams last year, a 2-0 win at BC Place on Aug. 10 that is their only win in six matches in the all-time series.
  • Coaches record: Carl Robinson vs. KC: P2 W1 L1 D0 … Peter Vermes vs. VAN: P6 W3 L1 D2


Related Content:


Feilhaber continues to raise bar with SKC
Despite losing lead, 'Caps still confident they can win Canadian Championship


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