Playoff implications abound Sunday as Sporting Kansas City host the LA Galaxy in one of Major League Soccer's marquee matchups on #DecisionDay. The game is set to kick off at 6 p.m. CT and will be televised nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes with local radio broadcasts on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM. A limited number of tickets for the regular season finale at Sporting Park are available via Ticketmaster.com.
Sporting Kansas City (13-11-9, 48 points) have suffered two straight defeats and consequently cling to the sixth and final Western Conference playoff spot. Three points on Sunday would clinch a playoff berth, while a loss or draw would make Peter Vermes' men reliant on other results going their way in Western Conference matches played concurrently at 6 p.m. CT. Meanwhile, defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy (14-10-9, 51 points) can seal a No. 2 seed and a Knockout Round bye with a victory, but Bruce Arena's star-studded squad has just two road wins in 2015. We break down the all-important clash in our By The Numbers Preview...
Head-to-head
- Sporting KC are unbeaten in six straight home games against LA (3-0-3) dating back to 2008, including a 2-0-1 record at Sporting Park.
- The home side in the #SKCvLA series is unbeaten in six straight meetings dating back to 2011.
- The clubs most recently met on April 18 at StubHub Center. LA escaped with a 2-1 win after Omar Gonzalez turned home a 94th-minute game-winner off a corner kick. Baggio Husidic and Krisztian Nemeth traded first-half goals in that match.
- The last time these teams met at Sporting Park, the hosts ran out 2-1 victors on July 19, 2014. Benny Feilhaber and Lawrence Olum gave Sporting KC a two-goal cushion before Robbie Keane struck late in the game.
LA Galaxy
- 2015 MLS record: 14-10-9, 51 points (2nd in West)
- 2015 MLS road record: 2-8-6 (14 GF, 28 GA)
- Last five MLS matches: 1-2-2, 5 points (D-L-W-D-L)
- LA is coming off a 5-2 home loss to Portland last Sunday, the first time they have conceded five goals at home since 2009.
- LA's two road wins (2-8-6) are tied for the second fewest in MLS.
- LA have 39 points and a plus-25 goal differential at home, but just 12 points and a minus-14 goal differential on the road.
- After winning four straight matches from Aug. 1-23, LA have just one win in their last six MLS games (1-3-2).
- LA have won four games when allowing the first goal this season, tied for the second most victories of that variety in MLS.
- Despite playing just 23 league matches, Robbie Keane ranks third in MLS with 19 goals.
- Omar Gonzalez leads MLS with 150 interceptions, while fellow centerback Leonardo ranks fourth with 128.
Sporting Kansas City
- 2015 MLS record: 13-11-9, 48 points (6th in West)
- 2015 MLS home record: 9-2-5 (27 GF, 19 GA)
- Last five MLS matches: 1-3-1, 4 points (L-T-W-L-L)
- SKC is coming off a 2-0 loss to Colorado on Wednesday, their first home defeat to the Rapids since 2002.
- SKC's two home losses (9-2-5) are tied for the fewest in MLS.
- SKC has won 13 home games this season in all competitions, one short of tying the club record set in 2000, 2004 and 2012.
- SKC posted nine shutouts in their first 17 games but have just two in their last 16 (both at Portland on Sept. 9 and Oct. 13).
- SKC has failed to score a first-half goal in 10 straight games across all competitions dating back to Aug. 29.
- Benny Feilhaber is one off the league lead with 14 assists.
- Krisztian Nemeth's 22 combined goals (15) and assists (7) in all competitions are the most by a Kansas City newcomer since the inaugural 1996 season.
Playoff scenarios
How can Sporting KC qualify for the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs?
- With a win
- With a draw and a little help...
- San Jose must lose or tie vs. FC Dallas, OR
- Seattle must lose vs. Real Salt Lake
- With a loss and a little help...
- San Jose must lose vs. FC Dallas
Team stats (2015 regular season)
MLS rank in parenthesis (Opta stats as of Oct. 24)
<strong>Category (per game)</strong> |
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<b>LA Galaxy</b> |
Goals scored |
1.39 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(t-7th)</span> |
1.67 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(3rd</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">)</span> |
Goals conceded |
1.33 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(t-10th</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">)</span> |
1.33 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(t-10th)</span> |
Shots |
11.8 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(13</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">t</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">h)</span> |
11.9 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(10th</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">)</span> |
Shooting accuracy |
44.4% <span style="font-size: 10px;">(16</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">th)</span> |
47.5% <span style="font-size: 10px;">(11th)</span> |
Chances created |
9.3 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(9th)</span> |
8.9 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(11th</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">)</span> |
Successful passes |
281 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(19</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">th)</span> |
337 <span style="font-size: 10px;">(6</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">th)</span> |
Passing accuracy |
74.6% <span style="font-size: 10px;">(19</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">th)</span> |
78.4% <span style="font-size: 10px;">(7th)</span> |
Possession |
49.8% <span style="font-size: 10px;">(10</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">th)</span> |
51.5% <span style="font-size: 10px;">(6</span><span style="font-size: 10px;">th)</span> |
Recent #SKCvLA meetings
- Regular season record vs. LA Galaxy: 19-24-11
- Regular season home record vs. LA Galaxy: 14-8-5
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Result</strong> |
<strong>Stadium</strong> |
<strong>Scorers</strong> |
04/07/2012 |
W 1-0 |
Sporting Park |
KC: Kamara<br>
LA: none |
04/20/2013 |
L 0-2 |
StubHub Center |
KC: none<br>
LA: Sarvas |
07/19/2014 |
W 2-1 |
Sporting Park |
KC: Feilhaber, Olum<br>
LA: Keane |
04/18/2015 |
L 1-2 |
StubHub Center |
KC: Nemeth<br>
LA: Husidic, Gonzalez |
