Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas | 2016 MLS Match Preview

Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas meet for a second time this season when the Western Conference rivals clash on Sunday afternoon before an ESPN audience at Children's Mercy Park. Sporting return home sitting two points below the red line, their winless run at three games following a scoreless draw at the LA Galaxy in their last league game. FCD are tied for the West lead and with the best record in MLS, now riding a five-game undefeated run following a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo in their last league game.

DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)

• Sporting had their winless run extended to three games with a second consecutive attacking shutout in their last league match, playing to a goal-less result at the LA Galaxy on June 2. Sporting have one win in their last 11 matches (1-7-3).
• FC Dallas stretched their undefeated streak to five matches with a second consecutive draw last time out, a 1-1 result with the Houston Dynamo on June 2 at Toyota Stadium.
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Michael Barrios and Mauro Rosales each scored on either side of half-time to lead FC Dallas to a 2-1 win April 17 at Toyota Stadium. FCD have won the last two meetings in Frisco, their victory there last season their first in the series since 2011.
• Sporting KC won the final two meetings between the teams last season at home, a 4-0 win on May 29 and a 3-1 win Sept. 18. They were the first two victories for KC in the series since 2012, when Sporting won 2-1 in Kansas City.

REFEREE: Jorge Gonzalez. AR1 (bench): James Conlee; AR2 (opposite): Sean Hurd; 4th: Fotis Bazakos
MLS Career: 132 games; FC/gm: 25.5; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 40; pens: 33

SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DAL: Walker Zimmerman
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: KC: Roger Espinoza, Dom Dwyer -- DAL: Maynor Figueroa
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: KC: Matt Besler, Graham Zusi (USA; Copa America) -- DAL: Carlos Gruezo (Ecuador; Copa America)

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (53 meetings): Sporting 22 wins (2 shootout), 80 goals -- FC Dallas 21 wins (1 shootout), 86 goals -- Ties 10
AT KC (27 meetings): Sporting 13 wins (0 shootout), 51 goals -- FC Dallas 8 wins (1 shootout), 35 goals -- Ties 6
FUTURE MATCH: 8/13: FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City, 8 p.m. CT

• Coaches record: Peter Vermes vs. DAL: P12 W5 L5 D2 -- Oscar Pareja vs. KC: P7 W2 L3 D2

LAST MEETING (MLS):
4/17: DAL 2, KC 1 (Barrios 35; Rosales 68 - Olum (22)

• Sporting took the lead in the 22nd minute when Lawrence Olum headed home a point-blank finish from a Benny Feilhaber corner kick.
• But FC Dallas were level by the 35th minute as Michael Barrios dispatched an angled strike from the right side of the box, set up by Maxi Urruti and Kellyn Acosta.
• The game-winner then came in the 68th minute, as Mauro Rosales came off the bench to lash a beautiful game-winning free kick over the wall and past SKC goalkeeper Tim Melia inside the left-hand post.
• FC DALLAS (4-4-2): Chris Seitz - Ryan Hollingshead (Atiba Harris 46), Zach Loyd, Walker Zimmerman, Maynor Figueroa - Michael Barrios, Kellyn Acosta, Victor Ulloa, Fabian Castillo (Juan Esteban Ortiz 82) - Maximiliano Urruti, Tesho Akindele (Mauro Rosales 63).
• SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-1-2-3): Tim Melia - Saad Abdul-Salaam, Nuno Andre Coelho, Matt Besler, Amadou Dia (Seth Sinovic 70) - Lawrence Olum (Ike Opara 70) - Benny Feilhaber, Roger Espinoza - Jimmy Medranda (Diego Rubio 79), Dom Dwyer, Brad Davis.

MLS Injury Report
MLS Disciplinary Summary