Sporting Kansas City returns home this weekend to take on the Seattle Sounders 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 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 POINTS OUT OF PLAYOFF SPOTS
Sporting Kansas City returns home this weekend to take on the Seattle Sounders at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night. Sporting picked up a welcome three points on the road with a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Friday, July 4, leaving the team just three points out of the ninth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Sporting survived some intense pressure from the Rapids last Friday but held a 2-0 lead early in the second half following a pair of opportunistic goals from Dejan Joveljic and Erik Thommy, allowing the team to see out all three points despite a late Rapids penalty.
Sporting now has back-to-back home matches over the next two weeks, first hosting Seattle on Saturday before taking on New York City FC on July 19. Sporting’s next eight games all come 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 (6-5-4 record), scoring 27 goals in 15 matches in the process - tied for the fifth most in MLS during that time.
2. HOSTING SOUNDERS ON RETRO NIGHT
Sporting Kansas City returns home this weekend to take on longtime rivals the Seattle Sounders at Children’s Mercy Park during Saturday’s Retro Night at Children’s Mercy Park.
Sporting last hosted the Sounders on June 8, 2024, earning a come-from-behind 2-1 victory. Jordan Morris gave Seattle an early lead and it looked as though Sporting may extend their winless run to 11 games, but Johnny Russell equalized before halftime and Alenis Vargas came off the bench in the second half to bag a late winner.
Sporting’s most recent matchup against Seattle took place at Lumen Field on Sept. 15, 2024 with the Sounders claiming a 2-0 victory. Jackson Ragen and Paul Rothrock each scored in the first half before Tim Melia stoned an Albert Rusnak penalty kick to end the half, but Seattle saw out the result in the second half.
Sporting trails the all-time series 12-13-4, including a 6-6-2 mark at home.
3. THOMMY LEADS SKC WITH GOAL & ASSIST
Sporting Kansas City captain Erik Thommy produced another brilliant individual performance to lead his team to victory in the club’s 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Friday, July 4 - leading to back-to-back Team of the Matchday selections.
Thommy set the tone early when his high-press led to a turnover from goalkeeper Nico Hansen, and the German showed great composure to set up Dejan Joveljic for the opening goal of the match in the fourth minute - his fourth assist of the season.
Thommy then scored what would stand as the game-winner with a stunning goal, receiving a pass from goalkeeper John Pulskamp, skipping beyond three challenges and rifling a shot into the bottom corner early in the second half. The goal was Thommy’s fourth of the season to go along with four assists, and his eight goal contributions are tied for fourth on the team.
Thommy has now tallied 20 goals and 24 assists in 115 appearances across all competitions for the club.
4. JOVELJIC HOT STREAK CONTINUES
Sporting Kansas City forward Dejan Joveljic continued his red-hot form in front of goal in the team’s 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Friday, July 4, bagging an opportunistic early opener in the fourth minute.
Joveljic, who has eight goal contributions in his last seven appearances, received a pass from Erik Thommy following a turnover at the back for the Rapids to fire home his 12th goal of the season to take him to a team-leading 14 goal involvements (12 goals, two assists) in just 19 regular-season appearances this season.
Joveljic extended his own personal record with goal contributions in seven straight matches, tied for the longest streak this season – with goals in four straight road appearances.
The Serbian frontman currently sits in a tie for fourth in the MLS Golden Boot charts with 12 goals, only trailing Nashville’s Sam Surridge (16), Miami's Lionel Messi (14) and Philadelphia's Tai Baribo (13), while he moved into a tie with Miklos Molnar (2000) for the most goals by a newcomer in club history with 12.
In addition, Joveljic’s 33 goals in MLS play since the start of 2024 is the second most in the league - only trailing superstar Messi.
5. REUNION FOR 2000 MLS CHAMPION WIZARDS
Sporting Kansas City will be honoring a host of club legends and icons that helped build the club when the team hosts the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.
Over 15 members of the 2000 Kansas City Wizards team that won the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup double will be in attendance and are set to be recognized at halftime of the match.
Sporting Legends Tony Meola, Preki, Bob Gansler, Chris Klein and Kerry Zavagnin will all be in attendance - with Zavagnin and Preki coaching on the sidelines for Sporting and Seattle respectively - while teammates from that dominant 2000 team such as Nick Garcia, Francisco Gomez, Matt McKeon, Brandon Prideaux, Chris Brown, Michael Green, Tahj Jenkins and Brian Johnson will also be honored at the game.
Gansler, the Wizards head coach from 1999-2006, will be joined by fellow coaching staff members Brian Bliss, Curt Johnson and Tim Mulqueen.
