Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy
2017 MLS Regular Season - Week 29
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City, Kan.
Sunday, September 24 – 11 am PT
WATCH: KCOP in Los Angeles,FOX, FOX Deportes in USA
Who saw this coming this year? The LA Galaxy, who have qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs every season since 2009 (currently tied for the second longest streak in MLS history), could be the first MLS team mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with a loss or tie against Sporting KC.
LA and Sporting are two teams heading in distinctly different directions. The Galaxy are coming off back-to-back 4-0 shutout losses and superstar Giovani Dos Santos is feeling the heat. Meanwhile, Sporting KC just won the 2017 U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday and are a mere point removed from first place in the West.
Although LA have the second best road record in MLS (5W-7L-2D), expecting them to beat Sporting KC on the road for the first time in nearly a decade (2007) is a big ask. Sporting KC are not only the lone remaining undefeated team at home this year, but they're also riding a club-record 23-game home unbeaten run (16W-0L-7D) which is the longest active streak in MLS.
Sporting Kansas City
- Suspended:None
- Suspended after next caution:None
- International Duty:None
- On Loan:None
- Injury Report: OUT — MF Soni Mustivar (hamstring strain), FW Cameron Porter (broken fibula); QUESTIONABLE — FW Latif Blessing (thigh injury), FW Gerso (shoulder injury)
Projected Starting XI (4-3-3, left to right): Tim Melia — Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler, Ike Opara, Graham Zusi — Benny Feilhaber, Ilie Sanchez, Roger Espinoza — Daniel Salloi, Diego Rubio, Cristian Lobato
LA Galaxy
- Suspended: MF Jermaine Jones (red card suspension)
- Suspended after next caution: DF Bradley Diallo, DF Nathan Smith
- International Duty:None
- On Loan:None
- Injury Report: OUT – MF Baggio Husidic (fractured fibula), MF Sebastian Lletget (foot surgery), DF Robbie Rogers (ankle injury), DF Daniel Steres (L2-4 transverse process fracture), DF Pele van Anholt (torn ACL/meniscus); QUESTIONABLE – DF Bradley Diallo (right hamstring)
Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Jon Kempin — Bradley Diallo, Dave Romney, Michael Ciani, Ashley Cole — Jonathan Dos Santos, Joao Pedro — Romain Alessandrini, Giovani Dos Santos, Emmanuel Boateng — Gyasi Zardes
All-Time Series
Sunday marks the second and final meeting of the season between the two clubs. Their first match on June 24 was one of the LA Galaxy's nine home losses of the season thus far, as SKC emerged 2-1 winners on goals by Roger Espinoza and Ike Opara.
- Overall: Sporting KC 21W-24L-14D (71 GF, 88 GA) … LA Galaxy 24W-21L-14D (88 GF, 71 GA)
- At SKC: Sporting KC 15W-8L-7D (43 GF, 39 GA) … LA Galaxy 8W-15L-7D (39 GF, 43 GA)
Officials
Referee: Mark Geiger
Assistant Referees: Nick Uranga, CJ Morgante
4th Official: Armando Villarreal
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Alex Chilowicz
