SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC vs. SPORTING KANSAS CITY
CENTURYLINK FIELD, Seattle, Wash.
March 6, 2016 (WEEK 1, MLS Game #9)
7:00PM ET (FS1)
A high-profile contest in the Western Conference opens up the 2016 MLS season as Seattle Sounders FC play host to Sporting Kansas City on Sunday afternoon at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC kept alive their streak of having never failed to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs in their league history – but were again stopped short of the championship match. Sporting extended their playoff run to five consecutive years, but saw their run end at the first hurdle for a second year running following their MLS Cup triumph in 2013.
- Sounders FC face a massive test ahead of their MLS season opener when they travel to Mexico City to take on Club América in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series on Wednesday. The clubs reached a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Seattle as Clint Dempsey netted both Sounders FC goals.
- Sporting KC concluded their six-game preseason schedule undefeated, ending the run with a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo in the final match of the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Ariz. Newcomers Nuno Andre Coelho and Daniel Salloi netted goals for SKC in their third draw in the competition, all against MLS teams.
- Sporting won the season series between the clubs in 2015, the first time they had ever won the season set with Sounders FC. SKC took a 1-0 win June 6 at Sporting Park; the teams also played to a pair of draws, once at each ground.
- Sounders FC have a five-game undefeated streak alive at home vs. Sporting. SKC has won once all-time in Seattle – a 1-0 victory in 2009 in the first meeting ever between the clubs. Since, Sounders FC have won three of their home meetings, with a pair of draws.
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REFEREE: Alan Kelly. AR1 (bench): Ian Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Apolinar Mariscal; 4th: Drew Fischer
MLS Career: 36 games; FC/gm: 26.3; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 10; pens: 13
SUSPENDED: none
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (12 meetings): Sounders FC 7 wins, 13 goals … Sporting 2 wins, 8 goals … Ties 3
AT SEATTLE (6 meetings): Sounders FC 3 wins, 4 goals … Sporting 1 wins, 2 goals … Ties 2
RETURN MATCH: 7/24: Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 2 p.m. CT (ESPN1)
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/23: SEA 0, KC 0
6/6: KC 1, SEA 0 (Feilhaber 84)
9/27: KC 1, SEA 1 (Dwyer 79 – Martins 32)
- Sporting won the season series between the clubs in 2015, the first time they had ever won the season set with Sounders FC. SKC took a 1-0 win June 6 at Sporting Park; the teams also played to a pair of draws, once at each ground.
- Sounders FC have a five-game undefeated streak alive at home vs. Sporting. SKC has won once all-time in Seattle – a 1-0 victory in 2009 in the first meeting ever between the clubs. Since, Sounders FC have won three of their home meetings, with a pair of draws.
- Coaches record: Sigi Schmid vs. KC: P44 W20 L16 D8 … Peter Vermes vs. SEA: P11 W1 L7 D3
