Preview: Sporting KC visits Real Salt Lake in Final Push to the Playoffs on Sunday

Playoff implications abound on Sunday when Western Conference rivals Sporting Kansas City (12-13-7, 43 points) and Real Salt Lake (12-11-9, 45 points) square off in the penultimate round of the 2016 MLS regular season. Kickoff at Rio Tinto Stadium is set for 4:28 p.m. CT as 38 The Spot and SKCTV broadcast three hours of live coverage starting at 4 p.m. CT. Listeners can follow the action on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish), while additional in-game updates can be found at SportingKC.com/gameon and through the Sporting KC Uphoria mobile app.

No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District (1370 Grand Blvd.) will host an official watch party for the match, offering $7 specialty cocktails from Till Vodka.

Sunday's pivotal showdown in Utah will be one of five Western Conference games to kick off simultaneously at 4 p.m. CT, adding further drama and excitement as the postseason picture crystalizes in Week 33's Final Push to the Playoffs. Sporting Kansas City currently holds the sixth and final playoff spot in the West, two points behind fifth-place Real Salt Lake and two points ahead of the chasing Portland Timbers.

Both teams have the opportunity to clinch playoff berths on Sunday. Sporting Kansas City would seal a club-record sixth straight appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs with a win and a Colorado Rapids win or draw at Portland. Conversely, a victory for Real Salt Lake would ensure their return to the postseason after missing out in 2015.

• Playoff scenarios heading into Week 33

With October's international break in the rearview mirror, Sporting Kansas City returns to the pitch Sunday for the first time since Oct. 1 when the side fell 3-1 at the New England Revolution. Dom Dwyer provided the lone goal for the visitors, entering a tie for third in MLS with 16 goals this year. Should he score against Real Salt Lake on Sunday, Dwyer would become just the second player in Kansas City history to score in five straight regular season games — matching Preki's feat in 1996.

Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes will have a strong squad at his disposal, with Jimmy Medranda the only regular starter ruled out on Sunday. The diminutive left back will serve a one-game suspension for caution accumulation, while longterm absentees Justin Mapp (calf) and Chance Myers (hamstring) remain sidelined. Brad Davis will also miss out after suffering a calf injury in training last week. Center back Matt Besler will be available for selection after delivering a strong performance for the U.S. Men's National Team in Tuesday's 1-1 draw with New Zealand at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

Vermes' men have just one victory to show from their last 14 MLS road games and travel to a hostile Rio Tinto Stadium where Real Salt Lake is 8-1-7 in 2016. Jeff Cassar's side boasts plenty of veteran experience — goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielders Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales are still first-team regulars — while attackers Yura Movsisyan and Joao Plata share the team lead with nine goals apiece. Juan Manuel "Burrito" Martinez has added bite to RSL's midfield, contributing seven goals while ranking among the MLS leaders in duels won, fouls drawn and successful dribbles.

Real Salt Lake has a two-point cushion on Sporting Kansas City in the standings, but a recent dip in form has prevented the Claret and Cobalt from punching their playoff ticket. RSL is 0-3-2 in its last five MLS matches, having failed to score in three of them. Cassar's men are winless in three straight at Rio Tinto Stadium and are looking to avoid getting shut out in three consecutive home games for the first time since 2006. RSL will also have to cope with the likely absence of Aaron Maund, a standout center back who started 20 games this season before sustaining a foot fracture in August.

Sunday will be the third fixture between the rivals this season. Real Salt Lake is looking for the sweep after winning both previous contests at Children's Mercy Park, a 2-1 victory on April 2 and a 3-1 decision on May 21. Sporting Kansas City is winless in six straight regular season meetings, but ousted RSL 3-1 last August in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals and retains bragging rights as winners of the 2013 MLS Cup Final.

The Final Push for the Playoffs will see all 20 clubs take the field on Sunday, Oct. 16, with five Eastern Conference matches kicking off concurrently at 2 p.m. CT followed by five Western Conference battles at 4 p.m. CT. To further enhance the Week 33 experience, MLS will offer live pre- and postgame shows across multiple digital channels, including the MLS Facebook Page and the MLS YouTube channel. Coverage will begin with the "MLS Matchday Live - Week 33 Pregame" show at 1 p.m. CT.

The highly anticipated Decision Day in Week 34 will involve 10 matches kicking off at 3 p.m. CT as every club closes out the regular season. Sporting Kansas City will host the San Jose Earthquakes at Children's Mercy Park, and a limited number of tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. Decision Day broadcast details will be announced on Monday.