Quick-hits preview: Seattle Sounders FC at Sporting Kansas City
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC AT SPORTING KANSAS CITY
WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; at Children’s Mercy Park
TV/RADIO: Fox Sports KC Plus; WHB (810 AM)
ABOUT SEATTLE (2-4-4, 10 points): The defending MLS Cup champions are off to a sluggish start and have posted some stats that are eerily similar to last year’s version of Sporting KC. Such as this one: Seattle leads MLS in shots per game (15) but ranks only 18th in shots on goal (4). ... The Sounders will be without defender Joevin Jones, who is suspended for the match. ... The attack runs through midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, who has three goals and four assists.
ABOUT SPORTING KC (5-2-4, 19 points): Tied for second in the Western Conference, Sporting KC is riding a club-record 14-match unbeaten streak at home. The streak includes eight shutouts. ... Dom Dwyer is set to return after serving a one-game suspension over the weekend, an absence that opened the door for Latif Blessing’s first two career MLS goals in a tie in Orlando.
BOTTOM LINE: Sporting KC is unbeaten over its past five regular season meetings against Seattle — with regular season being a key phrase. The Sounders bounced Sporting KC from the Western Conference playoffs last year, albeit in controversial fashion.
PREDICTION: Sporting KC 2, Seattle 1
Sam McDowell: 816-234-4869, @SamMcDowell11
This story was originally published May 16, 2017 at 4:24 PM.