Seattle Sounders vs. Sporting Kansas City | MLS Match Preview

MLSsoccer staff

SEATTLE SOUNDERS vs. SPORTING KANSAS CITY
CENTURYLINK FIELD, Seattle
May 23, 2015 (Week 12, MLS Game #118)
10 pm ET (MLS LIVE)

A vital meeting in the Western Conference is ahead when Seattle Sounders FC return home to take on Sporting Kansas City on Saturday evening at CenturyLink Field. The teams are separated by just two points in a tight divisional tussle, Sounders FC sitting just two points off the top spot. Sounders FC head back home following an impressive 2-0 victory at West leaders Vancouver Whitecaps FC, while Sporting hit the road after putting an end to the New England Revolutionís long undefeated run with a 4-2 home win at midweek.

Chad Barrett scored two goals in a game for the sixth time in his MLS career – the first time since 2010 – as Sounders FC took a 2-0 win at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday afternoon.
Clint Dempsey extended his streak to eight games with a goal and/or an assist – every game he’s played this season – with an assist vs. Vancouver. The MLS record is 11 games with at least a goal or an assist, set three times previously.
Sounders FC have an eight-game league unbeaten streak alive against Sporting, including a 1-0 win at CenturyLink Field last March 8 in the only meeting between the teams. Since a 1-0 KC win in 2009 in the first meeting ever between the clubs, Seattle has won seven matches (with one draw).
The teams did meet in the 2012 U.S. Open Cup Final, Sporting winning in a penalty-kick shootout after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes in K.C., ending Sounders FC’s three-year hold on the Open Cup title.

REFEREE: Jair Marrufo. AR1 (bench): Corey Rockwell; AR2 (opposite): Eduardo Mariscal; 4th: Drew Fischer
MLS Career: 181 games; FC/gm: 23.4; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 34; pens: 53

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SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: KC: Roger Espinoza
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: KC: Erik Palmer-Brown (US U-20 national team)

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (9 meetings): Sounders FC 7 wins, 12 goals … Sporting 1 win, 6 goals … Ties 1
AT SEATTLE (5 meetings): Sounders FC 3 wins, 4 goals … Sporting 1 win, 2 goals … Ties 1
RETURN MATCHES: 6/6: Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 8:30 pm ET; 9/27: Sporting Kansas City vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 5 pm ET (ESPN2)

LAST YEAR (MLS)
3/8: SEA 1, KC 0 (Barrett 94+)

Sounders FC have an eight-game league unbeaten streak alive against Sporting, including a 1-0 win at CenturyLink Field last March 8 in the only meeting between the teams. Since a 1-0 KC win in 2009 in the first meeting ever between the clubs, Seattle have won seven matches (with one draw).
The teams did meet in the 2012 US Open Cup Final, Sporting winning in a penalty-kick shootout after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes in K.C., ending Sounders FC's three-year hold on the Open Cup title.
Coaches record: Peter Vermes vs. SEA: P8 W0 L7 D1 … Sigi Schmid vs. KC: P41 W20 L15 D6