The Seattle Sounders host Sporting KC today with a chance to move up to fifth and pull within a point of third in the Western Conference standings. The Sounders are coming off a 4-0 win on the road against the Columbus Crew and have lost just one league home game in the last five months.
Here’s what you need to know:
Injury news
Sounders
OUT: João Paulo - Calf; Nouhou - Not Due to Injury
QUESTIONABLE: Léo Chú - Knee
Sporting Kansas City
OUT: Jake Davis - Suspension; Joaquin Fernandez - Groin; Nemanja Radoja - Groin
QUESTIONABLE: Logan Ndenbe - Hamstring
Stats to look smart
- For fans who want to completely dismiss expected Goals, Sporting KC is a perfect example. They have scored 10 more goals than their xG and have allowed nine more goals than xGA. No team has skewed so badly on both sides of the ledger.
- No team in MLS has allowed fewer goals at home than the Sounders (11) and no team in the Western Conference has a worse xGD on the road than Sporting KC (-11.5)
Tactics to impress
- Traditionally one of the more aggressive teams in the league under Peter Vermes, Sporting KC has somewhat shed that ethos this year. They rank near the middle of the pack in fouls committed (352), are in the bottom third for passes per defensive action (13.9), have the second-worst success rate on take-ons (42.5%) and settle for longer shots (18.5 yards) than all but three teams. This is a team that can be bullied.
- The Sounders have been shut out just four times in their last 29 times across all competitions. One thing that all four of those games have in common: Opponents who set a relatively deep line of confrontation. The Sounders have certainly won their share of games where teams attempt to do this, but it’s a tactic that has tended to work against them.
Kit matchup
Opposition research
Sounder Strategy: KC plays spoiler
SKC’s playoff hopes are slipping, but they would like nothing more than to knock the Sounders down a peg.
Andrew Pearson
Standings
Other news
After first Mexico camp, Obed Vargas has no regrets about switch
Sounders midfielder makes two appearances with Mexico U23s.
Jeremiah Oshan
Cristian Roldan seems to be settling in at an old position
Despite intentions to do otherwise, Roldan has moved around the field a lot this year.
Jeremiah Oshan
João Paulo likely out 2-3 more weeks with calf strain
Josh Atencio and Cristian Roldan filled in admirably over the weekend.
Jeremiah Oshan
Georgi Minoungou could be Sounders’ missing ingredient
Despite being effectively blind in one eye, Minoungou is considered a talent with immense upside.
Jeremiah Oshan
