Sporting Kansas City is back on the road this weekend when the team heads south to take on Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. CT and will be available to stream for free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in English and Spanish. The match will also be available on the radio locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish).
1. BOUNCING BACK FROM MIDWEEK DISAPPOINTMENT
Sporting Kansas City extended the club’s unbeaten streak to three matches with Wednesday’s 2-2 draw against Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park, though the 1-0-2 run that the club is on will feel more disappointing than encouraging.
Sporting has seen leads evaporate to draw 2-2 in each of their last two matches in Houston and at home against RSL, with the club slipping to 11th place in the West and two points shy of the playoff line.
Sporting raced into a 2-0 lead on Wednesday with goals from Daniel Salloi and Johnny Russell, only to surrender the lead in the second half. Russell’s goal punctuated a 32-pass buildup sequence spanning 1 minute, 58 seconds in which all 11 Sporting players touched the ball, reminiscent of another Russell goal: the 38-pass buildup that spanned 2:04 leading to his game-winner in the famous 2-1 win at Seattle on Oct. 23, 2021.
After moving above Austin last month with a 4-1 win at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting are now playing catch-up again as Austin have gone 3-1-1 in their last five.
2. AUSTIN ANTICS
Sporting Kansas City is back on the road this weekend as the team returns to Texas for the second time in seven days when they take on Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Saturday night in what’s set to be another blazing matchup. SKC played out 2-2 draws in Houston and at home against Real Salt Lake on Saturday and Wednesday, respectively, with both games a scorching 90 degrees at kickoff with a heat index at 99. Saturday’s match has already been pushed back one hour with high forecasted temperatures in Texas.
Sporting have already beaten Austin this season, cruising to a 4-1 victory at Children’s Mercy Park on June 10, 2023. Alan Pulido fired Sporting ahead in the first half and Robert Castellanos added another early in the second half. Pulido scored his second and Sporting’s third before Khiry Shelton sealed the win late on following Sebastian Driussi’s consolation strike.
In their last visit to Q2 Stadium, Sporting succumbed to a wild 4-3 defeat on Aug. 13, 2022. Sporting raced into a 3-1 lead following goals from Andreu Fontas, Willy Agada and Johnny Russell, but Austin roared back in the second half and eventually won the match with a 94th-minute from Driussi.
Sporting KC trails the all-time regular-season series 2-3-1, winning the inaugural matchup in 2021 and the most recent clash in June.
3. RUSSELL NAMED TO TEAM OF THE MATCHDAY
Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell enjoyed a nice return to form during Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park, tallying a goal and an assist in the first half. The Scotsman was named to the bench of the MLS Team of the Matchday for his performance.
Russell, who was replaced by Marinos Tzionis in the 57th minute of the scorching match, first set up Daniel Salloi’s opening goal with a pin-point cross that allowed the Hungarian winger to volley home at the far post in the 30th minute. Six minutes later, Russell received a pass from Erik Thommy in the area, twisted beyong Justen Glad and fired home Sporting’s second goal of the night.
The goal was Russell’s first since scoring the equalizer in the club’s 1-1 draw on the road against LAFC at BMO Stadium on May 17, while the assist was his first since the 3-0 win over Minnesota United FC at Children’s Mercy Park on May 13.
Russell’s 51 regular season goals and 56 goals in all competitions are both third most in club history, while his 97 combined goals (56) and assists (41) for Sporting in all competitions are tied with Chris Klein for third most in club history.
4. SALLOI BACK ON THE SCORESHEET
Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi got himself back on the scoresheet during Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park. Salloi met Johnny Russell’s cross at the far post to volley home the opening goal in the 30th minute.
The goal was Salloi’s first since bagging back-to-back game-winners in late May against the Portland Timbers and FC Dallas, and it brings his season total to five goals and four assists in MLS play from the left wing. Salloi now has 54 goals in all competitions, fourth most in club history and two behind Johnny Russell in third. The only players with more goals than Sporting’s current winger duo are club legend Preki (81) and Dom Dwyer (67).
With an eye on Saturday’s match against Austin FC at Q2 Stadium, Salloi now has 43 regular season goals for Sporting, tying Austin coaching duo Davy Arnaud and Josh Wolff for fourth most in club history.
5. PAIR OF FIRSTS FOR DAVIS & RADOJA
Sporting Kansas City defender Jake Davis and midfielder Nemanja Radoja both enjoyed a pair of firsts during Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park, as both players recorded their first assists for the club in the match.
Radoja tallied the secondary assist on Daniel Salloi’s opening goal, intercepting a clearance from goalkeeper Gavin Beavers and freeing Johnny Russell down the left wing whose cross was volleyed home by Salloi.
Six minutes later, it was Davis’ turn to get in on the action as his defense-splitting ball picked out Erik Thommy who in turn cut the ball to Russell who spun in the area and smashed home the second goal of the game.
Radoja has been a key part of Sporting’s summer turnaround, with the team going 5-3-5 when he starts this year versus 1-7-3 when he doesn’t. Davis, still just 21, has found a home at right back after coming up through the SKC Academy as a center mid.
