Sporting KC v LAFC Preview: Last Home Game of 2024

Sporting KC vs LAFC

When: Saturday, October 5th, 2024, at 7:30 PM CT (7:40 kickoff)

Where: Children’s Mercy Park

How to Watch/Stream: Apple MLS Season Pass

The season for Sporting Kansas City is effectively over. They have two games to play, but only minor movement in the draft will be impacted by the results. In the Western Conference, Sporting KC have fallen all the way to 13th with last weekend’s loss to St. Louis City. They are three points behind them and the only team they can reasonably catch in the conference standings.

If you care about draft position, as it’s not completely worthless near the top of the draft, KC are currently slated to pick 3rd behind the San Jose Earthquakes and the Chicago Fire. Sporting KC are even on points with the New England Revolution, two points behind Nashville SC and three behind the aforementioned St. Louis along with Atlanta United. There is a slate of teams six points ahead of KC and if they won out, and those teams lost out, they could pass a few more clubs if the tiebreakers fall right.

As it stands, KC will be drafting in the top five for the first time since 2010 when they selected Teal Bunbury fourth overall.

While the results mean little, it is also the final home game of the 2024 season. That could mean it’s the final time to see quite a few players in Sporting Blue. Notably, Johnny Russell is out of contract and according to Daniel Sperry of the KC Star talking to Johnny himself, he hasn’t had any talks with the team about extending his contract. Though he was clear he does want to be back.

Asked Johnny Russell if he wants to be back, as his contract is out at the end of this season.

He says there haven't been any talks about it right now, and that he wants to be back.

Says he's treating Saturday like it's his last at #SportingKC.

— Daniel Sperry (@sperrydaniel94) October 3, 2024

With Russell’s future uncertain (more from Sperry on Russell here), along with 15 other players who are out of contract or on contract options, it could be a final chance for fans to see some of their favorites from over the years. Emotions should be high, despite the results meaning little to KC. A few standing ovations may be in order.

For LAFC, the results mean a lot more. They are technically able to catch the LA Galaxy still for first place in the West as they have a game in hand and are just six points behind. They are also trying to hold off the Seattle Sounders who have surged all the way to third place in the standings after one of their trademark slow starts to the season.

Kansas City’s Form

• Sept. 15th @ Seattle Sounders – 0-2 Loss
• Sept. 18th vs. Colorado Rapids – 4-1 Win
• Sept. 21st. vs. Minnesota United – 0-2 Loss
• Sept 25th @ LAFC (US Open Cup) – 1-3 Loss
• Sept 28th @ St. Louis City – 1-3 Loss

LAFC’s Recent Form

• Sept. 18th vs. Austin FC – 1-1 Draw
• Sept. 21st @ FC Dallas – 1-3 Loss
• Sept. 25th vs. Sporting KC (US Open Cup) – 3-1 Win
• Sept 28th @ FC Cincinnati – 2-1 Win
• October 2nd vs. St. Louis City – 1-0 Win

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 reports (and Tuesday for LA since they played midweek).

Sporting KC:

• OUT – Nemanja Radoja (groin), Dany Rosero (ankle surgery)
• QUESTIONABLE – Andreu Fontas (knee), Erik Thommy (foot)

Nemanja Radoja is in training today. Pulido, Caste, Rosero and Thommy not participating in training today. #SportingKC

— Daniel Sperry (@sperrydaniel94) October 1, 2024

The missing guys may have been sick according to Peter Vermes in his press availability from Tuesday.

LAFC:

• OUT – Lorenzo Dellavalle (knee), Jesus Murillo (knee)
• QUESTIONABLE – None

Stats

Sporting KC

Goals: Willy Agada (9), Erik Thommy, Alan Pulido (7), Johnny Russell, Stephen Afrifa (4), 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, Davis, Salloi (5), Radoja, Thommy (4), Leibold, Agada (3), Khiry Shelton, Walter (2), Stephen Afrifa, Andreu Fontas, Robert Voloder, Zorhan Bassong, Kayden Pierre, Vargas (1)

LAFC

Goals: Denis Bouanga (19), Mateusz Bogusz (14), Cristian Olivera (5), Timothy Tillman (4), Eduard Atuesta, Kei Kamara, David Martinez (3), three with one (1)

Assists: Bouanga (10), Bogusz (7), Tillman (6), Atuesta (5), Ryan Hollingshead, Kei Kamara, Sergi Palencia (4), Omar Campos, Ilie Sanchez (3), Maxime Chanot, Olivier Giroud, Nathan Ordaz (2), five with one (1)

Predictions

Though it doesn’t matter for KC as much, they could look to play spoilers and get a bit of revenge for last week’s Open Cup loss (where they were, perhaps, robbed of a trophy). LA are coming to town on short rest and may be vulnerable if KC can muster the energy to play spoilers. Many players are still playing to earn a spot in the future and won’t want to slip up.

But it just takes one player shutting off for one moment to get beat by LAFC. It’ll come down to staying tuned in for 90 minutes and avoiding moments of brilliance from the incredibly talented LAFC roster. Maybe Kansas City keep up their strong home form. Then again, not much from 2024 has said that will happen.

PREDICTION: 2-1 LAFC Win