Sporting KC v Dallas: Preview, Predictions & How to Watch

Sporting KC vs Dallas

When: Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 7:30 PM CT (7:39 kickoff)

Where: Children’s Mercy Park

How to Watch/Stream: Apple MLS Season Pass

Sporting Kansas City are back in action on short rest against FC Dallas. Sporting KC find themselves in their best form of the year, picking up 10 points over their last five games after earning just three points in their first 10. In the ridiculous new MLS playoff format, that leaves them just three points out of the playoffs (or is it a play-in game?).

Despite the great run from Sporting KC, Dallas is only slightly worse than them over the last five games. They are coming off back-to-back draws, but before that they pulled of two straight wins. The difference? The wins were against teams below the playoff line (where SKC reside) and the draws were against teams currently in the playoffs.

This is the second meeting between these teams, but it’s a completely different lineup for Sporting KC. They have back Alan Pulido, Gadi Kinda, Tim Leibold, Nemanja Radoya and others since the first matchup.

Dallas’ Recent Form

• May 10th @ Nashville SC – 2-0 Loss (US Open Cup)
• May 13th @ Austin FC – 1-0 Win
• May 17th vs. Vancouver Whitecaps – 2-1 Win
• May 20th vs. Houston Dynamo – 1-1 Draw
• May 27th @ San Jose Earthquakes – 1-1 Draw

What’s new for Dallas since the last meeting?

Since these two teams met in March, Dallas have made no new roster moves.

Injury Report

Sporting KC:

Official #SportingKC Injury/Availability Report:

QUESTIONABLE – Johnny Russell (hamstring), Remi Walter (back spasms)

OUT – Tim Melia (quad), Kortne Ford (Achilles), Kayden Pierre (hamstring), Willy Agada (tibia)#SKCvDAL #SKCvFCD #DTID

— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) May 30, 2023

Alan Pulido, Logan Ndenbe and Dany Rosero are all off the injury report, but Johnny Russell and Remi Walter are officially added. You have to wonder if two days rest puts a lot of guys as ‘questionable’ with fatigue.

Dallas:

Here is the last known report with any insight from the Earthquakes game this weekend.

OUT: Paul Arriola (right thigh), Sebastian Lletget (right thigh), Maarten Paes (thorax injury), Tarik Scott (season ending injury)

QUESTIONABLE: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (removed from SJ/FCD match), Geovane Jesus (hamstring), Paxton Pomykal (left quad)

Stats

Sporting KC

Goals: Daniel Salloi (3), Johnny Russell, Erik Thommy (2), Alan Pulido, Dany Rosero, Gadi Kinda, Willy Agada, Felipe Hernandez (1)

Assists: Daniel Salloi (3), Erik Thommy, Alan Pulido, Remi Walter (2), Gadi Kinda, Johnny Russell, Roger Espinoza, Tim Leibold, Marinos Tzionis, Graham Zusi (1)

Dallas

Goals: Jesus Ferreira (8), Nkosi Tafari, Alan Velasco (2), five with one (1)

Assists: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (3), Paul Arriola, Geovane Jesus, Jesus Jimenez, Sebastian Lletget, Jader Obrian, Velasco (2), seven with one (1)

Predictions

These two teams will face off for the second time in 2023 after Dallas came from behind to win 2-1 in Texas earlier this season. Despite that, Dallas has really only beaten bad teams. They have literally only gotten wins over teams below the playoff line. That line is way down the standings. So, the question is, are Sporting KC a bad team?

Recent results say they are a good team. The first two thirds of the season, say they are a bad team. I think what needs to be taken into account is their form on short rest. Against St. Louis City SC, on short rest, they were destroyed. Hopefully Sporting KC will learn some lessons from that game. Running out virtually the same lineup three games in a row left them stunned. Dallas has the ability to press high like STL and cause SKC trouble.

Hopefully, whatever the lineup, the gap between and so on, they make adjustments from the St. Louis game that can be applied to this double game week against Dallas and Vancouver. FC Dallas are pretty beat up, but they do have an extra day of rest. Then again, they were on the road Saturday and on the road against Wednesday.

I think a full strength Sporting KC could beat this Dallas team. They may even be able to beat a full strength Dallas team. But neither team are likely to be at their best Wednesday.

PREDICTION: 1-1 Draw