Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire | 2019 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

2019 MLS Regular Season — Week 18
Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire
Children's Mercy Park — Kansas City
July 6 - 8:30 PM ET

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

Two teams coming off opposite ends of 5-1 midweek scorelines square off at Children's Mercy Park when Sporting Kansas City host the Chicago Fire Saturday night.

Sporting (4-7-7) suffered a second consecutive defeat, losing at home to LAFC. After Christian Ramirez opened the scoring in the 28th minute, Diego Rossi doubled the lead five minutes into the second half and Carlos Vela made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute. Yohan Croizet pulled SKC a goal back in the 85th minute, but Rodolfo Zelaya and Mohamed El-Munir responded with a pair of goals at the death to secure a comfortable win for the visitors.

The Fire (5-7-7) climbed to within a point of the playoff line in the Eastern Conference with a stunning rout of 10-man Atlanta United at SeatGeek Stadium. Francisco Calvo and CJ Sapong scored inside the opening seven minutes and Nico Gaitan made it 3-0 in the 13th minute after Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez was sent off for DOGSO. Sapong had his brace, followed by a fifth goal by Fabian Herbers to put Chicago in front, 5-0, at the half.

Sporting Kansas City

Injury Report:
- OUT: Roger Espinoza (M) - PCP sprain
- OUT: Erik Hurtado (F) - right knee surgery
- OUT: Jaylin Lindsey (D) - torn meniscus
- OUT: Rodney Wallace (D) - hip injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Jimmy Medranda (D) - hamstring injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Johnny Russell (F) - hamstring injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Graham Zusi (D) - adductor injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Benny Feilhaber (M), Ilie Sanchez (M)
International duty: None

Chicago Fire

Injury Report:
- OUT: Jorge Corrales (D) - thigh injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Johan Kappelhof (D) - thigh injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Bastian Schweinsteiger (D), Francisco Calvo (D), Mo Adams(M)
International duty: Djordje Mihailovic (M)