New York City FC vs. Sporting Kansas City
2017 MLS Regular Season
Yankee Stadium – New York, New York
Wednesday, Sept. 5 – 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: MLS LIVE
It's been more than a week since either New York City FC or Sporting Kansas City played a match. Obviously, a lot has happened since NYCFC's 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls on Aug. 25 and Sporting's 2-0 victory over FC Dallas all the way back on Aug. 19 (including the postponement of their scheduled Aug. 26 match at Houston, due to flooding from Hurricane Harvey).
Golden Boot leader David Villa got a surprise call-up for Spain's World Cup qualifiers – and promptly injured his adductor muscle, meaning NYCFC might be without him for a while even after he gets back. Add in three other international absences and a raft of injuries for the Citizens, and the roster cupboard is anything but full going into Wednesday's match at Yankee Stadium.
Sporting also have four players out on international duty, most notably a pair of United States internationals in center back Matt Besler and right back Graham Zusi – but the visitors also have proven depth in Erik Palmer-Brown and Saad Abdul-Salaam.
New York City FC
- Suspended: None
- Int'l absence: F David Villa (Spain), M Alexander Ring (Finland), M Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica), M Yangel Herrera (Venezuela)
- Injuries: OUT: D - Ronald Matarrita (foot surgery 6/30, out 3-4 months) - READ; M - Miguel Camargo (non-displaced hip fracture 7/20, out 3 months) - REPORT; D - Maxime Chanot (hernia surgery 8/21, out 6-8 weeks) - READ; D - Ethan White (gastrocnemius strain 8/25, out 4 weeks) - READ; M - Mikey Lopez (midfoot sprain 8/25, out 3-4 weeks) - READ
Projected starting XI
(4-3-3, R-L)
GK: Sean Johnson; R.J. Allen, Frederic Brillant, Alexander Callens, Ben Sweat; Tommy McNamara, Andrea Pirlo, Maxi Moralez,; Jack Harrison, Sean Okoli, Jonathan Lewis
Notes: NYCFC are unbeaten in nine straight home games (7W-2D), a franchise best home unbeaten streak in a single regular season, and approaching the franchise regular season record (11 games between 6/18/2016 and 4/1/2017). … Maxi Moralez’ goal against the Red Bulls was his second in his last six league appearances after taking 16 games to get his first two MLS goals.
Sporting Kansas City
- Suspended: None
- Int'l absence: D Matt Besler, D Graham Zusi (United States), F Soony Saad (Lebanon), M James Musa (New Zealand)
- Injuries: F - Cameron Porter (broken fibula and ligament damage in right ankle 8/2, out for season)
Projected starting XI
(4-3-3, L-R)
GK: Tim Melia; Saad Abdul-Salaam, Ike Opara, Erik Palmer-Brown, Seth Sinovic; Benny Feilhaber, Ilie, Roger Espinoza; Latif Blessing, Diego Rubio, Gerso
Notes: Sporting have only won once in their last nine MLS regular season road games (5L-3D). They have failed to score in six of these games. … In the 14 games Dom Dwyer had started for Sporting Kansas City this year, they averaged 1.9 points per game. In the 11 games that SKC has not included Dwyer in their starting lineup this season, that number falls down to 1.3 points per game.
All-Time Series
New York City are looking for their first win in the series after Sporting took the first two meetings.
- Overall: New York City 0 wins (1 goal) … Sporting KC 2 wins (4 goals) … Ties 0
- At NYCFC: New York City 0 wins (0 goals) … Sporting Kansas City 1 win (1 goal) … Ties 0
Referees
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Greeson, Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4th Official: Jose Carlos Rivero
VAR: Robert Sibiga
