“If you’re playing for the Kansas City Royals, about all you can do is beat your head against the wall.”
John Kruk
11th in the West FC Dallas (18 points, 4-6-6) travels north to face 12th in the West Sporting KC (16 points, 4-9-4) at Children’s Mercy Park. Kickoff is at 7:20 pm.
Under interim coach Kerry Zavagnin, Sporting earned 9 points in May compared to FCD’s 3. Sporting also played 7 of their last 9 on the road.
Broadcast Info
TV: Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
– Apple TV English: Nate Bukaty, Devon Kerr
– Apple TV Spanish: Sergio Ruiz, Walter Roque
– Dallas Audio: Ryan Figert, Steve Davis.
MLS Injury/Player Availability Report
FC Dallas
Geovane Jesus – Knee (Out)
Enzo Newman – Knee (Out)
Paxton Pomykal – Knee Bruise (Out)
Osaze Urhoghide – Upper Leg (Out)
Ramiro – Lower leg (out)
Kaick – Yellow card suspension
Lalas Anunakar – Red card
Show Cafumana – International Duty
Suspension after 2 yellows: Ramiro, Osaze Urhoghide
Sporting Kansas City
Zorhan Bassong – International Duty (Out)
Nemanja Radoja – Quad (Out)
Dany Rosero – Ankle (Out)
Robert Voloder – Clavicle (Out)
FC Dallas Lineup Prediction
What a mess.
Coach Eric Quill will have to duct tape together a lineup. Because of Luchio Acosta, I’m sticking with the hybrid diamond-4. But it barely won out in my mind over Quill’s desired 4-2-3-1.
With the lack of a 4th starter-capable center back, something we’ve harped on since the end of last season, Quill doesn’t have great options. I don’t think Alvaro Augusto is up for an MLS start.
With Nolan Norris allegedly back from a US youth call-up, it makes sense to play him alongside Marco Farfan. Norris is 2 inches taller, but Farfan has more experience playing center back, so I’ve got him in the middle with Norris at left back. Feel free to flip them if you think Norris would make a better CB.
In the midfield, both Kaick (yellow cards) and Ramiro (injury) are suspended. That leaves Patrickson Delgado as the best 6-ish capable player. Since Show Cafumana had an international game on Friday and is almost certainly not available, I’m starting Sebastian Lletget. He was on the bench two weeks back, so he is cleared to play. With two weeks of training and, likely, a simulated game, I think he’s ok to go even if it’s not for 90 minutes. Tsiki Ntsabeleng gets the other spot over Diego Garcia or Anthony Ramirez.
Paxton Pomykal hasn’t shown he can play more than 30 minutes, give or take, so I don’t think he’s an option to start yet.
I will note that there is a chance with all the bodies out, Quill might take the shot on the 4-2-3-1 with Tsiki Ntsabeleng dropped for Bernie Kamungo. But that shape has not been working, and that is as much about Acosta as it is Ramiro, so I’m still leaning diamond-4.
Bench Prediction
Michael Collodi
Bernard Kamungo
Pedrinho
Diego Garcia
Álvaro AugustoPaxton Pomykal Josh Torquato
Logan Farrington
Leo Chu
Anthony Ramirez
MLS Kit Assignments
Officials
REFEREE: Sergii Demianchuk
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Kyle Atkins, Corey Parker
4TH OFFICIAL: Thomas Snyder
VAR: Daniel Radford
More Game Info
- FCD vs. SKC all-time: 31-29-14 (119 goals scored, 110 goals conceded)
- FCD vs. SKC away: 12-17-9 (51 goals scored, 68 goals conceded)
FCD Coach Eric Quill played for the Kansas City Wizards from 2002-2003, making 57 appearances and tallying six goals and 12 assists across all competitions.
The Burn are 4-3-0 in games decided by one goal.
Dallas is 2-5-4 when conceding first.
Sporting is 3-3-0 when scoring the first goal and 1-6-3 when conceding the first goal.
Sporting has scored 20 goals in 11 matches since April 1, tied for the third most in the Western Conference during that time.
FC Dallas is 2-2-3 when trailing at halftime.
FCD is 1-2-3 when conceding the opening goal away from home in MLS.
Dallas is unbeaten in the last 23 MLS matches when leading at halftime (W17, D6) since May 19, 2022.
Sporting is 2-0-0 when leading at halftime and 0-5-3 when trailing at half.
Dallas is seventh in aerial challenges won with 236.
KC’s Daniel Salloi has nine goals and two assists against FC Dallas.
FCD is second in MLS in clearances with 162.
Sporting has been outscored 25-14 through the 60th minute while outscoring opponents 12-6 after the 60th minute. And 7-1 in the first 15 minutes
Dallas has scored 1 goal in the first 30 minutes of matches this season, the fewest in MLS. Dallas has been outscored 10-1 in the first 30 minutes of matches while outscoring opponents 17-16 after the 30th minute this season.
Lucho Acosta leads Dallas with 28 key passes, 17 more than any other player on the team, but he has yet to record an assist this season.
Dallas ranks 28th in xG across MLS with 20.26 xG.
Dejan Joveljic‘s 10 goals leads KC and is tied for third most in MLS.
Petar Musa is tied for the team lead with four MLS goals and has a team-best seven MLS goal contributions (including three assists) this season.
Anderson Julio is tied for the team lead with four MLS goals this season, including three in his last seven appearances since April 27..
Léo Chú has the fastest speed recorded for FC Dallas this season at 35.3 KPH/21.9 MPH, ranking No. 18 in MLS.
Dallas has conceded just one goal from set pieces this season, the fewest in MLS.
Sebastien Ibeagha is tied for eighth in MLS in aerial challenges won with 44
Anderson Julio leads MLS in goals on counterattack with three.
Shaq Moore is tied for 18th in MLS in clearances with 25.
Sporting ranks fourth in MLS in touches in the attacking third per game (174).
Sporting ranks third in MLS in progressive dribbles per match (18.4) and ninth in progressive passes per match (41.5).
Dallas is the only Western Conference team with more road wins (three) than home wins (one) this season.
Five of Dallas’ seven road results this season have seen the team come from behind to win or draw.
Dallas ranks 25th in MLS in passing accuracy (81.1%) and 29th in average possession (44.5%).
Dallas ranks 28th in MLS in shots per game (10.3) and 29th in shots on target per game (3.5).
Dallas ranks fourth in MLS in away goals (14) but last in MLS in home goals (four).
One thing I found interesting, I saw Torquato traveling with the team on the club’s Instagram page. So it seems like they short term loaned him up to be a backup left back to Nolan/Farfan. He’s definitely earned it in my opinion, he’s looked like he could be a MLS backup already.
He’s been excellent.