Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas | 2020 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 9
Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City
September 2 – 8:30 PM ET

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada

LOCAL TV: Texas 21, FOX Sports KC Plus

After one point from their last two games, Sporting Kansas City are looking to get back to their form that saw them win three consecutive regular season games when they host an FC Dallas side hoping to build off a 3-1 victory over Minnesota United that snapped a four-match winless streak.

SKC are coming off a 1-1 draw at Colorado, while FC Dallas enjoyed a goals explosion at home unlike they've seen in the restart of the 2020 season.

Speaking of a goal explosions, FC Dallas cruised to a 6-0 win over Sporting in a Decision Day presented by AT&T meeting to close out the 2019 season in their last meeting.

Sporting Kansas City

Sporting responded well from a midweek drubbing to rally and earn a tie at the Colorado Rapids Saturday night to remain atop the Western Conference with 16 points from eight matches. Gianluca Busio scored the equalizer while playing the third game in a new role as the club's No. 6. However, Gadi Kinda was sent off on a second yellow card and Winston Smith and Roger Espinoza left injured, meaning Peter Vermes' side will be shorthanded against FC Dallas.

"We stay organized throughout the game. We didn’t lose ourselves after they scored," Vermes said. "We found a way to get back into the game. And then being able to close it out being a man down showed a lot of grit from the team, which we needed to after last game’s performance. We talked about how we were going to respond and I thought the guys responded very well."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Roger Espinoza (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Felipe Gutierrez (M) - knee injury
Suspended: Gadi Kinda (M)
Suspended after next caution: Gadi Kinda (M)
International duty: None

FC Dallas

FC Dallas broke out of their scoring drought in a big way, with Fafa Picault and Jesus Ferreira scoring a minute apart early and Reto Ziegler tacking on a stoppage-time penalty to close it out.

Paxton Pomykal has been used off the bench this season due to injury, but coach Luchi Gonzalez said after the match the promising 20-year-old midfielder could need season-ending hip surgery, which would come at a time when the club is also losing Reggie Cannon in a transfer to Portuguese first-division side Boavista.

"He hasn’t had any surgery yet, but it is a very strong discussion and it’s very possible, so we’re just preparing for that," Gonzalez said. "This could hold him out of the whole season. That’s not ideal for the team, but you saw tonight other guys step it up."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Paxton Pomykal (M) - hip injury
- OUT: Fafa Picault (M) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None