Preview: SKC hosts Minnesota

Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC
2024 MLS Regular Season | Match 31
Saturday, Sept. 21 | 7:30 p.m. CT (7:40 kickoff)
Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kansas

Broadcast Schedule:
Apple TV | MLS Season Pass
English Radio | Sports Radio 810 WHB
Spanish Radio | La Grande 1340 AM

Sporting Kansas City (8-15-7, 31pts) continues their battle to make it to the playoffs when they face Minnesota United (11-12-6, 39 pts) on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Park. Sporting KC is fresh off a dominant midweek win over the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday evening. A pair of braces from Alan Pulido and Erik Thommy made for an exciting midweek match,

Sporting KC’s focus now turns to the need to earn every point they can to avoid being eliminated from the MLS playoffs. This game is doubly important for both squads with Minnesota in ninth in the Western Conference. The Loons are just eight points above Kansas City.

Minnesota and Sporting KC have played twice this season, both in Minnesota. The Loons won both matches, the first with a 2-1 victory in April followed by a 3-1 win in June.  If Minnesota defeats Sporting KC again, Kansas City will be eliminated from playoff contention.

Sporting KC is in the midst of another congested run of matches. With SKC not only fighting for their playoff lives, they have the U.S. Open Cup final next week to focus on as well. When asked about plans for rotation in this stretch and looking forward, Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes responded, “I mean, we’ve had to, no matter what we would have to. It doesn’t even matter if there was an Open Cup final or not, we would have to, because it’s five games in 14 days.”

“The big thing is, after each game really taking an inventory of the guys and where they are,” Vermes continued. “What you’re trying to figure out, is it better for somebody to start or come off the bench? Can they play forty-five (minutes)? Can you make substitutions at halftime because that saves you a moment in your substitutions? There’s just a lot of different things that you calculate within there. It even becomes more dynamic based on the amount of games and also what we’re trying to get ready for.”

Sporting KC has improved their form in the last third of the season and slowly improving. In their last ten games, SKC have five wins, two draws and three defeats. All three losses occurred on the road to playoff-bound teams.

After a disappointing performance at the Seattle Sounders, SKC bounced back and easily handled the Rapids. “I think the guys were thinking way too ahead in the Seattle game and they were more concerned about getting ready for the final, but the final is far away,” Vermes explained. “If you’re not in good form, If you’re not playing the way you need to be, it’s not going to just turn that switch on come Wednesday. You have to do it now and we also are fighting for something. It’s not every game, it’s really half by half. And I think that the guys understood that, and they actually approached the game that way (against Colorado), and I think that was a difference.”

Sporting KC continues to get a little healthier. The only player that will be listed as out is Radoja. Joaquin Fernandez is off the injury report and has been in full training for a few days. Vermes has pointed out he has not been training very much with the number of games and lack of training days available.

The #SportingKC Player Status Report for #SKCvMIN presented by @ChildrensMercy. pic.twitter.com/8bzQqwUkca

— Sporting KC Communications (@SportingKC_PR) September 20, 2024

Referee: Ismir Pekmic
Assistant ref: Logan Brown
Assistant ref: Tyler Wyrostek
4th official: Matthew Thompson
VAR: Greg Dopka