Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Dom Dwyer - Sporting Kansas City - Bicycle Kick attempt

Sporting Kansas City vs. San Jose Earthquakes
2017 MLS Regular Season
Children's Mercy Park - Kansas City, Kan.
Saturday, March 18 -  8:30 pm ET
WATCH: MLS Live, FOX Sports KC

Dom Kinnear's old team might be getting all the love right now, with the Houston Dynamo off to a 2-0-0 start and scoring goals in bunches, but his current side is also enjoying early-season success after years of frustration. The San Jose Earthquakes have also taken six points from their first two games -- and showed off some of that old Goonies magic their last time out, to boot.


Sporting Kansas City, meanwhile, have seen nothing but clean sheets so far this year -- on both sides of the scoreboard. Sporting haven't conceded a regular-season goal since Oct. 1 -- a shutout string of four matches going into Saturday's meeting at Children's Mercy Park -- but they also haven't scored in their last three outings across all competitions, after last season ended with a controversial 1-0 defeat to Seattle in the Western Conference Knockout Round.


The last team to concede against Sporting? The 'Quakes, with Kansas City taking the 2016 regular-season finale, 2-0.



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Sporting Kansas City


If you like high-possession, high-pressing soccer, Sporting KC are your guys. They can string together passes in and out of traffic, harass opponents in the attacking and middle thirds -- everything but score so far, really.


To be fair, some of that has to do with how the opposition tends to play them: withstand the pressure, hold shape and look for the counter. Kansas City have failed to finish some really good looks, though, including last weekend when they drew FC Dallas 0-0 despite visiting manager Oscar Pareja's decision to rest key starters -- including center back Walker Zimmerman -- ahead of a CONCACAF Champions League semifinals game.


Sporting, understandably -- and rightfully, given their tendency last year to bleed cheap goals -- are emphasizing their defensive stinginess and Tim Melia's 0.00 GAA. The fans are starting to get restless, though, and a second straight goal-less home outing would not sit well with the Cauldron.



Projected Starting Lineup (4-3-3): Tim Melia – Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler, Ike Opara, Graham Zusi – Roger Espinoza, Ilie, Benny Feilhaber – Gerso, Dom Dwyer, Jimmy Medranda.


Note: Following their 0-0 draw with FC Dallas last weekend, Kansas City are now unbeaten in their last 10 regular season games at homes, with six clean sheets (7W-3D).


San Jose Earthquakes


Okay, so the match-winner came in the 79th minute and not second-half stoppage time, and the Earthquakes did get a boost when Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted drew a straight red card in the 23rd minute. Still, trailing 2-0 after just 17 minutes and then coming back for a 3-2 victory on Saturday did bring back memories of the days when you couldn't count San Jose out until the final whistle.


Anibal Godoy has been a victory-delivery machine in the early going, scoring both of he Earthquakes' decisive goals this year, and his strike from distance to complete the comeback on Sunday was a thing of beauty. Throw in homegrown defender Nick Lima opening his account in just his second MLS match, and the Earthquakes -- who scored a league-low 32 goals in 2016 -- look like offensive threats out of the gate.


The downside? They gave up two quick goals their last time out -- and if Sporting can bag one on Saturday, that might be all the home side needs.



Projected starting XI (4-4-2): David Bingham (GK) — Nick Lima, Florian Jungwirth, Victor Bernardez, Shaun Francis — Tommy Thompson, Anibal Godoy, Fatai Alashe, Simon Dawkins – Marco Urena, Chris Wondolowski


Note: San Jose have only won once in their last 19 regular season away games, dating back to September 2015 (11L-7D). The Earthquakes have failed to score in six of their last 13 road games.


All-Time Series


The Earthquakes hold a narrow edge in the series, with 24 victories to Sporting KC's 23, and there have been seven draws.


  • Overall: SJ lead 24-23-7
  • At Kansas City: SKC lead 18-8-1


Referees


  • Referee: Jair Marrufo
  • Assistant Referee (Near Side): Eduardo Mariscal
  • Assistant Referee (Far Side): Jeffrey Greeson
  • Fourth official: Chris Penso