Five Things presented by Children’s Mercy Kansas City: Sporting hosts NYCFC for first time in seven years | July 19, 2025

Sporting Kansas City remains at home this weekend to host Eastern Conference side New York City FC at Children’s Mercy Park for the first time since 2018 on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, while the game will also be broadcast locally on the radio via Sports Radio 810 WHB. Tickets are available via SeatGeek.com.

1. THREE-GAME UNBEATEN RUN COMES TO AN END

Sporting Kansas City remains at home this weekend to host New York City FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night. The match marks the final game of a stretch that sees Sporting play five of six games at home dating back to June 14. Sporting has gone 1-2-1 so far in the opening four home games, and won their only road game at Colorado on July 4.

Sporting saw the team’s three-game unbeaten run (2-0-1) come to an end last weekend, suffering a 3-2 defeat to the Seattle Sounders at Children’s Mercy Park. The visitors raced into a 3-0 halftime lead, but Sporting fought back through a pair of penalty kicks from Dejan Joveljic and Santiago Munoz to set up a grandstand finish that fell just short.

Sporting sits six points out of the ninth and final postseason spot and is in the midst of a run that sees the team play eight consecutive games against teams currently occupying playoff spots.

Since taking the helm at the end of March, interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin has picked up 22 points (6-6-4 record), scoring 29 goals in 16 matches - tied for the fourth most in the Western Conference during that time.

2. FIRST HOME MATCH vs. NYCFC SINCE 2018

Sporting Kansas City remains at home this weekend as the team prepares to host eastern conference outfit New York City FC at Children’s Mercy Park for the first time since 2018.

Sporting and NYCFC last met at Citi Field on May 7, 2022, playing out a tight and tense 0-0 draw. Much has changed for Sporting in the three years since, as only six of the 19 players that dressed that night still remain on the squad today (Jake Davis, Logan Ndenbe, John Pulskamp, Daniel Salloi, Khiry Shelton and Robert Voloder).

It’s been over seven years since New York City FC paid a visit to Children’s Mercy Park, most recently condemning Sporting to a 2-0 defeat on, March 4, 2018 - the opening weekend of the 2018 campaign. Maxi Moralez and Jesus Medina scored either side of halftime for the visitors, inflicting what would be one of just two home losses that Sporting would suffer in the 2018 regular season.

Sporting trails the all-time series 2-3-1, including a 1-1-0 mark at home.

3. JOVELJIC FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS

Sporting Kansas City forward Dejan Joveljic keeps getting his name on the scoresheet, adding another goal in the club’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Sounders at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.

Joveljic, who has nine goal contributions in his last eight appearances, earned a penalty kick in the second half and stepped up to fire home his 13th goal of the season to take him to a team-leading 15 goal involvements (13 goals, two assists) in just 20 regular-season appearances this season.

Joveljic extended his own personal record with goal contributions in eight straight matches, which now stands alone as the longest streak in MLS this season and the second longest streak in club history, only trailing Johnny Russell who tallied a goal contribution in 10 straight games in 2021.

The Serbian frontman currently sits in a tie for fifth in the MLS Golden Boot charts with 13 goals, trailing Nashville’s Sam Surridge (16), Miami’s Lionel Messi (16), Cincinnati’s Evander (15) and Philadelphia’s Tai Baribo (14). Joveljic also overtook Miklos Molnar (12 goals in 2000) for the most goals by a newcomer in club history with 13, excluding the club’s inaugural 1996 season.

In addition, Joveljic’s 34 goals in MLS play since the start of 2024 is the second most in the league - only trailing superstar Messi.

4. MUNOZ PROVIDING SPARK OFF THE BENCH

Sporting Kansas City forward Santiago Munoz has proven to be a bright spot off the bench for Sporting this season, with seven of his nine appearances coming as a substitute since joining Sporting on loan with an option to buy from Mexican club Santos Laguna in late April.

During Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Sounders at Children’s Mercy Park, Munoz scored a late penalty kick in the 96th minute to set up a grandstand finish but Sporting was unable to find a dramatic third goal to salvage a draw.

Munoz now has three goals on the season in just 281 minutes played – one more goal than he scored in the entire 2024-2025 LIGA MX season for Santos Laguna.

The Mexican American forward notably also set up Dejan Joveljic’s last-gasp winner against Charlotte FC on June 25, and all four of his goal contributions have come in his seven substitute appearances.

5. BARTLETT SET TO RETURN FROM SUSPENSION

Sporting Kansas City midfielder and Academy product Jacob Bartlett is set to re-enter the fray this weekend when the team hosts New York City FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night after the 19-year-old served a one-game suspension in the 3-2 setback against Seattle last weekend.

Bartlett, who started 16 consecutive matches from March 29 through July 4, received his sixth yellow card of the season in the 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids on Independence Day, leading to a one-game suspension. Bartlett is the youngest player in MLS to start 18 games this season.

The Overland Park, Kansas native signed a Homegrown deal with Sporting in January after completing his freshman season at the University of Notre Dame. Bartlett had previously advanced through the club’s Academy from U-12s to U-19s.