By The Numbers presented by KDOT: Sporting KC at Minnesota United FC

By The Numbers is presented by the Kansas Department of Transportation.

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Over the last four years, no club has stamped its name on the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quite like Sporting Kansas City. Peter Vermes' men lifted the Dewar Challenge Trophy as champions of the tournament in 2012 and 2015, and will look to bring home their fourth title in 2016. That quest begins Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT with a challenging road test against Minnesota United FC of the NASL.
The match will be streamed live from the National Sports Center Stadium on SportingKC.com as the nation's longest running open soccer tournament enters the 2016 fourth round. We break down the contest in our By The Numbers preview...

Head-to-head

• Sporting KC is 1-1-1 all-time against teams from Minnesota. Kansas City fell to the Minnesota Thunder in the 2005 Open Cup before earning a penalty shootout victory on the road in 2009.
• Sporting KC and Minnesota United FC met in the 2014 U.S. Open Cup fourth round at Children’s Mercy Park. The hosts won 2-0 (recap & highlights) behind late goals from Soony Saad and Alex Martinez. Six Sporting KC players who played in that game are still on the club's roster, while Minnesota still has nine players who featured for the Loons in the match.
• Sporting KC last faced a lower-division team on the road in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup, a match coincidentally played at National Sports Center against the Minnesota Thunder. The sides battled to a 3-3 draw before Kansas City advanced 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
• Both teams have lost three of their last five league matches.

Minnesota United FC

• 2016 NASL record: 5-4-1, 16 points (4th - NASL spring season standings)
• 2016 NASL home record: 4-1-0 (9 GF, 3 GA)
• Last five league games: 2-3-0, 6 points (W-L-L-L-W)
• 2015 Open Cup: Lost in third round to Saint Louis FC
• Best Open Cup finish: 2014 Round of 32
• Minnesota is 1-2-0 all-time against MLS teams in Open Cup play. The Loons defeated Real Salt Lake 3-1 on the road in 2012 and lost to the San Jose Earthquakes in the following round.
• Minnesota has never reached the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16.
• Minnesota led the NASL during the 2016 spring season with 16 goals scored in 10 games.
• Minnesota is 4-1-0 at home this season with three shutouts (nine goals scored, three allowed).
• Forward Christian Ramirez finished the 2016 spring season tied for second in the NASL with five goals. Ramirez is Minnesota's all-time leading scorer with 39 goals across all competitions since the start of 2014.
• Defender Kevin Venegas led the NASL during the 2016 spring season with five assists. Venegas is Minnesota's all-time assist leader with 16 in all competitions since the start of 2012.
• Midfielder Ben Speas finished the 2016 spring season with three goals and two assists, ranking ninth in the NASL with 18 chances created.
• Goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock finished the 2016 spring season tied for second in the NASL with four clean sheets.

Sporting Kansas City

• 2016 MLS record: 5-8-3, 18 points (7th in West - MLS standings)
• 2016 MLS road record: 2-4-2 (5 GF, 7 GA)
• Last five league games: 1-3-1, 4 points (L-W-L-L-T)
• 2015 Open Cup: Defeated Philadelphia Union in championship
• Best Open Cup finishes: Champion in 2004, 2012 and 2015
• Sporting KC is 10-2-2 in the U.S. Open Cup since 2012, winning the title in 2012 and 2015.
• Sporting KC has played just two of its last 17 Open Cup matches away from home, both at the Philadelphia Union. Peter Vermes' men beat the Union in the 2012 semifinals and the 2015 final.
• Sporting KC is 13-5-3 against lower-division teams in the U.S. Open Cup.
• Sporting KC has won six straight Round of 32 matches in the U.S. Open Cup and has a 6-0-1 all-time record at this stage of the tournament. The club last exited in the Round of 32 in 2000, falling to the Chicago Sockers in a penalty shootout.
• Sporting KC lost to lower-division teams in the U.S. Open Cup in 2011 (Richmond Kickers) and 2013 (Orlando City SC).
• Forward Dom Dwyer is tied for the all-time Sporting KC lead with five goals in the Open Cup, all coming last season.
• Midfielder Benny Feilhaber leads Sporting KC with five career assists in the Open Cup, all coming last season. 

Milestones and Miscellany

• Peter Vermes will coach his 270th match in all competitions on Wednesday, tying Bob Gansler as the club's longest-tenured manager.
• Dom Dwyer is one shy of entering a tie for second place in Sporting KC history with 52 goals across all competitions. He is currently one behind Davy Arnaud.

Team stats (2016 regular season)