Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas | 2020 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 12
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City
September 19 – 3:30 PM ET

TV: Univision, TUDN

STREAMING: Twitter in US; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada

Sporting Kansas City are hoping to keep their spot atop the Western Conference table when they host FC Dallas Saturday afternoon.

SKC (6W-3L-2D) snapped a four-game winless streak with a 1-0 victory over Minnesota United, while FC Dallas (4W-2L-4D) are coming off back-to-back wins, including a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids Wednesday night.

The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Franco Jara gave FCD an early lead, but Khiry Shelton equalized just before halftime, leaving the teams in a 1-1 draw Sept. 2 at Children’s Mercy Park.

FCD have come away with points from the last three meetings in Kansas City, winning the previous two, the club’s first wins there since 2011. SKC had won five of the seven meetings in between, with two draws.

Sporting Kansas City

It took SKC's lucky 21st shot of the night to find the back of the net as Johnny Russell's 80th-minute goal proved to be the difference against the Loons Saturday night at Children's Mercy Park. In a match for the top spot in the West between two sides battling injuries, Sporting found a way to take all three points for a very pleased Peter Vermes.

"I thought we played really well tonight," he said after the match. "Having the week buildup that we needed for this game with so many new players in the team and guys out for injuries and then having to take Khiry (Shelton) off, I thought our ability to keep the ball and probe the field and create the chances that we did – it was great."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Felipe Gutierrez (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Roger Espinoza (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Daniel Salloi (F) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Richard Sanchez (GK) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Gadi Kinda (M), Gianluca Busio (M)
International duty: None

FC Dallas

FC Dallas followed an emotional Texas Derby win over the Houston Dynamo with a decisive 4-1 win over the Rapids Wednesday night at Toyota Stadium. Santiago Mosquera led the charge with a hat trick, Franco Jara scored for the second consecutive game and Andres Ricaurte pulled the strings from midfield in another impressive outing.

“What a night for Santi,” Luchi Gonzalez said after the game. “Obviously, he’s a player that’s had some injuries and things that have not allowed him to be on the field, but he’s always shown support for his teammates, he’s been working really well in training and he’s earned that opportunity. So tonight’s a product of him doing those small details.”