What We Want to Happen Today 9/20

Sporting Kansas City is back in action tonight against Nashville SC at Children’s Mercy Park. They’re one of a full slate of midweek MLS games tonight around the country. Sporting currently occupies tenth place in the Western Conference, one point outside the playoffs. If you’re looking for who you want to cheer for as you scoreboard watch tonight, here’s a quick look at the other MLS games.

Charlotte vs Philadelphia
What We Want to Happen: Draw

As with a lot of these Eastern Conference match ups, they don’t mean much of anything to Sporting. The only thing they can have any baring on is a potential MLS Cup match up. In that case maybe you want the Philadelphia Union to drop all three points so that KC remains within touching distance. On the other side though, maybe you want Charlotte to drop all three so they can’t move level on points with KC. The bigger thing though is the fact that both teams have two games in hand on Sporting so really, any result in this game is unlikely to help KC much, so go with the option that gives the fewest points.

Columbus vs Chicago
What We Want to Happen: Draw

Similar to what was said above, just put the Columbus Crew on forty-five points, the Chicago Fire on thirty-three, and the two teams only having one game in hand on Kansas City instead of two.

DC vs Atlanta
What We Want to Happen: Draw

Not quite the same as the prior two as both DC United and Atlanta United have played the same number of games as Sporting at this point. So here a probably works the most in KC’s favor.

Miami vs Toronto
What We Want to Happen: Draw

Both teams are behind KC at this point but both teams can still catch KC and both teams have games in hand. So dropped points all around again.

Montreal vs Cincinnati
What We Want to Happen: Cincinnati win

Sporting can’t catch FC Cincinnati on points, so them getting all three points leaves CF Montreal only only a point ahead of KC, even if Sporting fall tonight.

NYCFC vs Orlando
What We Want to Happen: Orlando win

Similar to Cincinnati, Sporting isn’t catching Orlando City on points. Orlando sits on fifty points, Sporting’s maximum point total, so Orlando not picking up a single point the rest of the season seems unlikely. So instead hope for New York City FC to drop all three points.

New York vs Austin
What We Want to Happen: New York win

This one is simple enough, in an West vs East match up, especially one where the Western Conference team is close to KC on points (Austin FC sits two behind KC on thirty-three), you want to cheer for the team in the East.

Houston vs Vancouver
What We Want to Happen: Vancouver win

As I was originally writing this, I thought this would be best as a draw, because both teams are ahead of KC on points (Vancouver Whitecaps six clear on forty-one, Houston Dynamo five clear on forty). But then as I started looking at other results further down on the list of fixtures for tonight I decided that the better option was to have Houston drop all three points, let Vancouver have a six to nine point gap on KC, but keep Houston closer.

St. Louis vs LAFC
What We Want to Happen: LAFC win

This goes completely against my “catch as many teams as possible” idea. Mainly because there are seven teams between KC and Los Angeles FC at this point and passing all of them is really unlikely. So in this case, it’s a bit selfish, I want St. Louis to lose.

Colorado vs Seattle
What We Want to Happen: Colorado win

Similar to LAFC above, the Seattle Sounders have six teams between them and KC so KC passing all six just to get close to Seattle seems unlikely. That said, even with the Colorado Rapids having two games in hand on KC, they’re still thirteen points behind KC and them catching KC seems as unlikely as KC catching Seattle, but let’s go with KC making the gap to Seattle smaller.

Salt Lake vs Dallas
What We Want to Happen: Salt Lake win

This could be considered a tough one as Real Salt Lake is only five points ahead of KC. On the other side though, FC Dallas is even with KC on points and has two games in hand. So letting Salt Lake get further away is better than letting Dallas (hopefully) keep pace with KC.

LA vs Minnesota
What We Want to Happen: Draw

This may have been the hardest one to pick this week. The draw allows Minnesota United to at best be level with KC on points with still a game in hand. At the same time though the LA Galaxy are five points back currently with two games in hand. So it becomes a case of wanting both teams to drop points.

Portland vs San Jose
What We Want to Happen: draw

It’s not great to let two teams ahead of KC pick up points, but it’s better than one of them picking up all three points. The San Jose Earthquakes and Portland Timbers have also played the same number of games as KC, so unlike the other teams around KC in the standings they don’t have games in hand. That makes the idea of a draw a little better, especially if Sporting can pick up a win against Nashville SC tonight.