Sporting Kansas City hits the road this weekend to take on longtime rivals Real Salt Lake at America First Field on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 8:30 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 Sports Radio 810 WHB.
1. FIVE GAMES REMAINING
Sporting Kansas City will look to bounce back quickly from the team’s frustrating 2-1 defeat to Austin FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday when the team heads West to take on Real Salt Lake at America First Field on Saturday night.
Following the loss to Austin last weekend, Sporting finally closed out a stretch of schedule that saw the team play nine straight games against teams currently above the playoff line. Sporting’s match this weekend on the road versus 11th-place Real Salt Lake is the club’s first match against a team below the playoff line since hosting RSL at Children’s Mercy Park on June 28, 2025.
Last Sunday’s loss to Austin put another dent in Sporting’s playoff hopes as the team sits eight points out of the ninth and final postseason spot with just five games remaining in the club’s regular-season schedule - two against top Western Conference sides (Vancouver, Minnesota) and three against teams currently below the playoff line (Salt Lake, LA Galaxy, Houston).
Sporting cannot be eliminated from postseason contention this weekend, though the two teams below the club in the standings - LA Galaxy and St. Louis - are both vulnerable to seeing their playoff hopes permanently curtailed should results not go their way this weekend.
2. LOOKING TO RALLY AT REAL SALT LAKE
Sporting Kansas City hits the road this weekend to take on longtime rivals Real Salt Lake at America First Field in Sandy, Utah on Saturday night.
Sporting and RSL have already renewed acquaintances this season, with the two teams playing out a tight 1-1 draw at Children’s Mercy Park on June 28, 2025. After Sporting great Johnny Russell opened the scoring for his new club with a thunderous header in the first half, Sporting responded midway through the second period when Erik Thommy’s effort from the edge of the area took a slight deflection before nestling into the corner of the net to restore parity.
Sporting last visited America First Field well over a year ago on May 4, 2024. In a relatively uneventful night, the hosts claimed all three points late on when Chicho Arango headed home a free kick in the 81st minute for the only goal of the game.
Sporting has won just five of their last 25 matches against Real Salt Lake and currently trails the all-time regular-season series 13-18-10, including a 5-12-3 mark on the road - although Sporting did famously win a late-season encounter in Utah by a 3-2 scoreline two years ago on Oct. 7, 2023 that helped lead the team to a postseason berth.
3. JOVELJIC CONTINUES EXCELLENT SEASON
Sporting Kansas City forward Dejan Joveljic continued his fine form in front of goal this past weekend, scoring his fourth goal in his last four games in the club’s 2-1 defeat to Austin FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday night.
Joveljic now has a team-leading 17 goals this season, the third most in MLS and third most in a single regular season in club history - only trailing Dom Dwyer’s 22 in 2014 and Preki’s 18 in 1996.
Joveljic, whose 38 MLS goals since the start of 2024 are second most in the league behind Lionel Messi (39), has five penalty kick goals this season - sixth most in club history and third most by an Sporting player in a single regular season.
The Serbian has eight combined goal contributions (five goals, three assists) in his last six appearances against Austin FC, including goal contributions in four straight seasons against Austin FC. His 17 goals are the most by a Kansas City newcomer since Preki scored 18 in the club’s inaugural 1996 campaign.
4. THOMMY RETURNS
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Erik Thommy made his long-anticipated return this past weekend, playing the final 14 minutes of the club’s 2-1 loss to Austin FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday night.
After missing six matches with a hip injury from July 12 through Aug. 24, Thommy initially returned to the bench but did not appear in the team’s 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 30. His return to the fold comes at a welcome time with just five matches remaining in the regular season.
Prior to his injury, the German playmaker was hitting top form - having tallied in back-to-back games earlier this summer. After scoring a vital equalizer in the 1-1 draw against Real Salt Lake at Children’s Mercy Park on June 28, Thommy produced a game-winning performance in the 2-1 road win over the Colorado Rapids on July 4, tallying an assist on Dejan Joveljic’s opener before scoring a stunning solo goal to seal the points in the second half before being sidelined for almost two months.
5. BASSONG & JAMES REPRESENT NATIONAL TEAMS
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Zorhan Bassong and defender Ian James both missed Sunday’s 2-1 defeat against Austin FC while on international duty with their respective countries.
Bassong joined the Canada National Team for two friendly matches during the FIFA international window in September. Bassong earned his sixth cap as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Romania on Sept. 5 at Arena Națională before serving as an unused sub in the 1-0 victory over Wales on Sept. 9 at Swansea.com Stadium.
James was selected to the U.S. U-17 National Team for a training camp from Sept. 1-8 in Noordwijk, Netherlands. Led by head coach Gonzalo Segares, the U.S. U-17s faced the Netherlands U-17s in a pair of friendlies on Sept. 5 and Sept. 8 at Gemeentelijk Sportpark SJC, with James appearing in both matches.
