Sporting Kansas City returns home for the team’s second-to-last home match of the 2025 MLS regular season against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass, while the game will also be broadcast locally on the radio via ESPN 94.5 FM. Tickets are available via SeatGeek.com.
1. PENULTIMATE HOME MATCH ON THE DOCKET
Sporting Kansas City will look to get back to winning ways this weekend following last Saturday’s 2-1 setback against Real Salt Lake at America First Field when the team hosts the third-place Vancouver Whitecaps at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.
After a brutal stretch of schedule that saw the team play nine straight games against teams currently above the playoff line, Sporting finally played a team below the line in RSL this past weekend. However, despite an attempted comeback from a two-goal deficit, Sporting was unable to find an equalizer as the team dropped their second consecutive match.
Sporting’s playoff hopes continue to dwindle as the team sits eight points out of the ninth and final postseason spot with just four games remaining in the club’s regular-season schedule and 12 points up for grabs - two against top Western Conference sides (vs. Vancouver & at Minnesota) and two against teams currently below the playoff line (at LA Galaxy & vs. Houston).
Sporting can officially be eliminated from postseason contention this weekend, along with the two teams below them in the standings - LA Galaxy and St. Louis. Should Sporting lose to Vancouver, SKC would be eliminated with a Dallas win at Colorado, while a loss or draw would see the team eliminated should San Jose beat St. Louis or RSL beat LAFC.
2. WELCOMING THE WHITECAPS
Sporting Kansas City returns home this weekend to host the high-flying Vancouver Whitecaps at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.
Sporting has already visited Vancouver this season, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat at BC Place on July 26. Sporting kept the game close for the opening 30 minutes but the Whitecaps struck twice before halftime through Emmanuel Sabbi and JC Ngando before adding a third late on through Mathias Laborda.
Sporting last hosted the Whitecaps well over a year ago on May 29, 2024, falling to a 2-1 defeat. Vancouver DP Ryan Gauld bagged a brace with goals either side of halftime before Marinos Tzionis converted Khiry Shelton’s cross for a consolation goal in stoppage time for Sporting.
Sporting has a 12-9-5 record against Vancouver, but a once dominant record has slipped slightly in recent years. Sporting has won just one of their last eight regular-season meetings with the Whitecaps dating back to October of 2021 (1-6-1), including three losses in a row. Sporting’s only win during that time frame was a comfortable 3-0 win at Children’s Mercy Park on July 1, 2023.
3. SALLOI FORCES OWN GOAL
Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi forced yet another own goal this past weekend, helping reduce the deficit in the club’s eventual 2-1 defeat against Real Salt Lake at America First Field on Saturday night.
Sporting has now benefitted from four own goals this season, and Salloi has been the protagonist on three of those goals. Back on May 4, the Hungarian’s low cross was turned into his own net by LA Galaxy’s Maya Yoshida on the way to a 1-0 win, before Salloi’s shot was deflected into his own goal by Cody Baker in the 5-2 loss at Seattle on Aug. 24. Most recently, Salloi’s ball across the face of goal was sliced into his own goal by RSL defender Brayan Vera on Saturday night.
The only other own goal that Sporting has profited from was caused by Shapi Suleymanov when his cross was turned into his own net by Morris Duggan in the 3-3 draw with Minnesota on March 15. The four own goals received this season are tied for SKC’s third most likely source of goals – only behind Dejan Joveljic (17) and Salloi (7).
4. GARCIA BACK FROM QUAD INJURY
Sporting Kansas City Designated Player Manu Garcia returned to action this past weekend, playing the final 12 minutes of the club’s 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake at America First Field on Saturday night.
Garcia was initially sidelined with a quad injury ahead of the trip to Vancouver on July 26, but returned in the club’s next match against San Diego FC on Aug. 9 only to suffer a setback, causing him to miss four matches from Aug. 16 through Sept. 7. In total, Garcia had missed five of the club’s last six matches before returning at RSL.
The Spaniard’s quality on the ball provided an immediate boost on Saturday night as the team sought an equalizer late, a task that was ultimately unsuccessful. Garcia has enjoyed a dazzling maiden campaign with Sporting since joining from Greek club Aris Thessaloniki in February - tallying two goals and a team-leading nine assists in 27 appearances across all competitions. His nine assists prior to his injury were tied for sixth in all of MLS at the time.
5. DAVIS REACHES CENTURY MARK
Sporting Kansas City Academy product reached a major milestone this past weekend, playing his 100th competitive match for the club in the club’s 2-1 setback against Real Salt Lake at America First Field on Saturday night.
Davis, who becomes the 52nd player in club history to reach the milestone, has gone from strength to strength since breaking into the team during the early stages of the 2023 campaign, featuring in 77 of the team’s last 90 regular-season games dating back to his first MLS start against CF Montreal on April 29, 2023.
In all, Davis has made 81 appearances in the regular season, four in the playoffs, eight in the U.S. Open Cup and seven in international competitions for a total of 100. Davis has tallied three goals and 11 assists in his Sporting career.
At the age of 23 years and 253 days, Davis becomes the third youngest to reach 100 appearances in all competitions for the club, behind Nick Garcia (23 years and 113 days) and Teal Bunbury (23 and 224 days).
