Sporting KC v Seattle Sounders: Preview, Injuries & Predictions

Sporting KC vs Seattle Sounders

When: Sunday, September 15th, 2024 at 6:15 PM CT

Where: Lumen Field

How to Watch/Stream: Apple MLS Season Pass & FS1

For two years in a row, Sporting Kansas City really needed a game against the Seattle Sounders. In back-to-back seasons the team snapped 10-game winless streaks by defeating the Sounders. In 2023 it was enough to right the ship and send the team towards the best record in the Western Conference from that point on. Not to mention a playoff appearance where Sporting KC will forever be the team that eliminated St. Louis City from their first playoff journey.

In 2024, it hasn’t quite worked out the same. Since defeating Seattle back on June 8th, Sporting KC are 4-5-2 in league play. It’s a definite uptick in performance, but simply not enough for team that dug themselves into the deepest of holes.

The Sounders may have been awakened by that loss in Kansas City. Since that date, they are 7-3-1 in league play, made a run to the semifinals of the US Open Cup (coming up short against LAFC) and made it to the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup (also running into LAFC).

Those efforts have pushed Seattle up the table to fifth in the Western Conference, a single point behind the fourth place Colorado Rapids and within striking distance of a home playoff game. Meanwhile, Sporting KC still find themselves in 12th, only ahead of 13th place St. Louis on goal differential and total wins, but level on points.

At this point, SKC are just playing for pride and to stay in form for the US Open Cup finals at LAFC later this month. Finishing ahead of St. Louis feels necessary too.

What’s new for Seattle since the last meeting?

Not much

IN: Just a single player has been since that June 8th meeting. Georgi Minoungou, a forward from the Tacoma Defiance, was moved to a first team deal.

OUT: None

Kansas City’s Form

• August 5th vs. Toluca (Leagues Cup) – 1-2 Loss
• August 9th @ Columbus Crew (Leagues Cup) – 0-4 Loss
• August 24th vs. Orlando City – 3-0 Win
• August 27th vs. Indy Eleven (US Open) – 2-0 Win
• Sept. 7th @ New York Red Bulls – 1-1 Draw

Seattle’s Recent Form

• August 17th vs. LAFC (Leagues Cup) – 0-3 Loss
• August 24th @ Minnesota United – 3-2 Win
• August 28th vs. LAFC (US Open Cup) 0-1 Loss
• August 31st @ Portland Timbers – 0-1 Loss
• Sept. 7th @ Columbus Crew – 4-0 Win

That Crew win gets a big fat asterisk. If you missed the controversy, after the Crew GK was red carded they didn’t have a backup keeper due to a series of mistakes and misunderstandings. Ultimately, it seems Columbus is at fault, but a red card of course changed the game. Seattle could argue the same thing of their loss in KC earlier in the year. Outside of that win over the Crew, Seattle have run into the recently surging Timbers and LAFC (twice).

Injury/Availability Report

Official injury reports aren’t available until matchday minus one in the late afternoon/early evening, so here are last week’s report as we wait for today’s news (and two weeks ago for SKC). 

Sporting KC:

• OUT – Nemanja Radoja (groin), Joaquin Fernandez (groin)
• QUESTIONABLE – Logan Ndenbe (hamstring)

The #SportingKC Player Status Report for #SEAvSKC presented by @ChildrensMercy. pic.twitter.com/7tv14ppumX

— Sporting KC Communications (@SportingKC_PR) September 14, 2024

Seattle:

• OUT – Stefan Frei (head), Joao Paulo (calf), Raul Ruidiaz (knee)
• QUESTIONABLE – None

Suspensions

Sporting KC: Jake Davis (red card)

• Suspended Next Yellow: Nemanja Radoja

Seattle: None

• Suspended Next Yellow: TBD

Stats

Sporting KC

Goals: Willy Agada (9), Erik Thommy, Alan Pulido (5), Johnny Russell (4), Stephen Afrifa, Jake Davis, Remi Walter (3), Dany Rosero, Alenis Vargas, Memo Rodriguez, Daniel Salloi (2), Nemanja Radoja, Robert Castellanos, Marinos Tzionis, Tim Leibold (1)

Assists: Rodriguez (6), Russell, Pulido (5), Radoja, Thommy, Davis (4), Salloi, Leibold (3), Agada, Khiry Shelton, Walter (2), Stephen Afrifa, Andreu Fontas, Robert Voloder, Zorhan Bassong, Kayden Pierre, Vargas (1)

Seattle

Goals: Jordan Morris (11), Raul Ruidiaz, Albert Rusnak (8), Jackson Regan, Paul Rothrock (2), eight with one (1)

Assists: Rusnak (12), Obed Vargas (7), Cristian Roldan (5), Leo Chu, Joao Paulo, Morris, Rothrock (2), six with one (1)

Predictions

With no Davis in the midfield, we’ll likely see Remi Walter return to the starting lineup. If the team keeps playing a double pivot, it’ll be the first time Walter has been paired with Zorhan Bassong if he retains his starting spot. It is always possible Memo Rodriguez could be in the mix too, as he recently returned from injury. Thommy should be ahead of whatever duo Peter Vermes goes with. Then again, Alan Pulido has played the 10, to almost no positive impact.

Another spot to watch is at center forward. Pulido scored a very nice goal against the New York Red Bulls, but it was literally the team’s only shot on goal in 90 minutes. William Agada will be available from suspension and is still the team’s leading scorer. The international break is over, and Stephen Afrifa will return as well. Daniel Salloi was inconsistent offensively, so Afrifa has to have at least a chance to steal that roster spot, but PV seems to favor Salloi.

In terms of the game itself… who knows. Sporting KC are playing better, but nearly all their wins have come against teams below the playoff line. Seattle has more to play for, but KC have been feisty when they travel to Seattle. If nothing, both teams are getting almost nothing out of their Designated Players, so at least it’s level there. It could go either way, but I’d favor Seattle.

PREDICTION: 2-1 Seattle Win