Sporting Kansas City vs. New England Revolution
2017 MLS Regular Season – Week 28
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City, Kan.
Saturday, Sept. 16 – 8:30 pm ET
WATCH: MLS LIVE
Even though it's Sporting Kansas City who enter Saturday looking to prolong their club-record home unbeaten stretch of 22 league matches, most neutrals may be more intrigued to see how the New England Revolution respond from their recent embarrassment in another tough away venue.
The Revs will be just three days removed from losing 7-0 to Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after being reduced to nine men before halftime. New England made MLS history in that match by becoming the first team ever to fail to record a shot -- on or off target -- over a full 90 minutes.
With Sporting unbeaten at home this season and the Revs still winless on the road, an upset victory would seem extremely unlikely. But if Jay Heaps' men can respond to earn even a draw, it would mark a response of impressive fortitude against Peter Vermes' fully rested side.
Sporting Kansas City
- Suspended: Roger Espinoza (yellow card accumulation)
- Int'l absence: None
- Injuries: F - Cameron Porter (broken fibula and ligament damage in right ankle 8/2, out for season)
Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, left to right):
GK: Tim Melia – Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler, Ike Opara, Graham Zusi – Jimmy Medranda, Ilie Sanchez, Benny Feilhaber – Daniel Salloi, Diego Rubio, Cristian Lobato
Notes: Matt Besler picked up his career-high fourth assist of the season in SKC's 1-1 draw against Columbus. He previously had three assists in the 2015 campaign.
New England Revolution
- Suspended: Xavier Kouassi (red card), Antonio Mlinar Delamea (red card)
- International Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: M - Kelyn Rowe (right knee sprain, out 6-8 weeks)
Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, left to right):
GK: Cody Cropper – Chris Tierney, Benjamin Angoua, Claude Dielna, Andrew Farrell – Diego Fagundez, Scott Caldwell, Gershon Koffie, Teal Bunbury – Lee Nguyen, Kei Kamara
Notes: New England became the fourth team in league history to allow seven goals or more in a game in its loss at Atlanta, missing the MLS record for goals conceded in a match by one.
All-Time Series
Sporting KC holds a sizable advantage in this series between two of Major League Soccer's original clubs:
- Overall: Sporting 24 wins (87 goals) … Revolution 17 wins (67 goals) … 11 draws
- At Kansas City: Sporting 13 wins (41 goals) … Revolution 7 wins (27 goals) … 5 draws
Referees
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez
Assistant Referees: Jose Da Silva, Ian Anderson
Fourth Official: Alejandro Mariscal
VAR: Jon Freemon
