By The Numbers: Sporting KC at NYCFC - March 28, 2015

Seeking their first victory of 2015, Sporting Kansas City hits the road for their inaugural meeting with MLS expansion side New York City FC on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The 6 p.m. match will air live locally on KMCI-TV 38 The Spot and across the Midwest on SKCTV with 30 minutes of pre-game and post-game coverage.

Sporting KC (0-1-2, 2 points) is winless in their first three MLS matches for the first time since 1999, but statistics suggest that better results are on the horizon: the club leads MLS with 45 shots and 37 chances created, 15 more than they have allowed this season, and squares off against a New York City FC side that has faced more shots (47) than any other MLS team.

Under the guidance of manager Jason Kreis, New York City FC (1-0-2) sits atop the Eastern Conference and has conceded just one goal through three games.The team is led by United States international midfielder Mix Diskerud, who scored the club’s first ever goal on March 8 and leads MLS with 185 successful passes, and World Cup-winning Spanish forward David Villa, who scored the game-winner in NYCFC’s first match at Yankee Stadium on March 15. We examine the matchup further in our By The Numbers preview.

Sporting KC

• Leads MLS with 45 shots (13 more than they have faced) and 37 chances created (15 more than they have allowed).
• Recorded 24 regular season road wins from 2012-2014, the most of any MLS club over a three-year span during the non-shootout era (2000-present).
• Leads MLS with 84 interceptions, 22 more than any other team.
• Leads MLS with 12 chances created from set pieces.
• Ranks last in MLS with 61.6 passing accuracy in the attacking half of the field.
• Graham Zusi leads MLS with 11 chances created, eight of which from set pieces.
• Ike Opara leads MLS with 16 interceptions.

New York City FC

• Has conceded just one goal in three matches.
• David Villa leads MLS in shots (14) and offsides (five).
• Mix Diskerud leads MLS with 185 successful passes.
• Ned Grabavoy has assisted two of NYCFC's three goals.
• Josh Saunders is one of five goalkeepers with two clean sheets.
• Has faced the most shots in MLS with 47 (Sporting KC leads MLS with 45 shots).
• Ranks last in MLS with just one successful cross from open play and zero chances created from set pieces.

Knocking off the new guys

During Major League Soccer's expansion era (2005-present), Sporting KC is 6-1-2 in their first meetings against expansion (or relocated*) clubs. The list below excludes the San Jose Earthquakes, who took a two-year hiatus from 2006-07 before returning to MLS in 2008.

Stadium Wreckers

On Saturday, Sporting KC will have the opportunity to deliver New York City FC their first ever defeat at Yankee Stadium. Sporting KC has handed MLS opponents their first loss at a new stadium at six different venues, including a penalty shootout win against San Jose in 1996.

Milestones and miscellany

• Saturday is Sporting KC's 300th regular season road game (87-145-67)
• Sporting KC is one shy of 100 road wins across all competitions in club history.
• If Matt Besler plays on Saturday, he will move into a tie with Mo Johnston for 8th place on the club's all-time appearances list (184 in all competitions).
• Graham Zusi is one shy of 50 career assists for Sporting KC in all competitions.

Team stats (2015 regular season)