By The Numbers: Sporting KC vs. Chicago Fire - May 3, 2015

Sporting Kansas City will boast a fresh look when they host the Chicago Fire in Sunday's nationally televised match on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. CT. The club is set to debut their new monochromatic white third kits against a long-time rival in the clubs' lone regular season meeting.

Tied for fifth place in the Western Conference, Sporting KC (2-2-4, 10 points) faces Chicago as an inter-conference opponent for the first time since 2004. Peter Vermes’ men are unbeaten in four straight home games against the Fire, who have one win in six trips to Sporting Park. 

Chicago (3-3-0, 9 points) missed out on the 2014 playoffs en route to an MLS record 18 draws last season and opened this year with three consecutive defeats. Since then, however, Frank Yallop’s side has rattled off three straight home victories with two shutouts from United States international goalkeeper Sean Johnson. Homegrown midfielder Harry Shipp leads the Fire with three assists, while first-year Designated Players Shaun Maloney and David Accam have both opened their scoring accounts. We examine the matchup in our By The Numbers preview...

Head-to-head

• Sunday is the 50th regular season meeting between Sporting KC and Chicago. The Fire lead the series 25-13-11 with a 1-2-3 record at Sporting Park.
• Sporting KC is undefeated in four straight home games against Chicago with three clean sheets (5 goals scored, 1 allowed).
• Chicago has scored two total goals in six games at Sporting Park.
• Graham Zusi has four goals in 12 MLS matches against Chicago, most recently scoring the game-winner in a 2-0 win on Oct. 10, 2014, at Sporting Park.
• Dom Dwyer scored in all three meetings against Chicago last season—May 18 in Chicago, then July 6 and Oct. 10 at Sporting Park.
• In 10 MLS matches against Sporting KC, goalkeeper Sean Johnson has recorded four clean sheets, 37 saves and posted a 0.90 goals against average.
• Aside from injured forward Mike Magee, just one player on the current Chicago roster has scored a regular season goal against Sporting KC. Jeff Larentowicz scored against Kansas City as a member of New England in 2008.
• Sporting KC has more losses (25) and goals conceded (85) to Chicago than any other team in MLS.

Sporting KC

• Leads MLS with 26 chances created from set plays (10 more than any other team) and five assists from set plays.
• Ranks in the top three of MLS in interceptions (1st, 26.1 per game), duels won (2nd, 62.1) and tackles won (3rd, 18.8).
• Dom Dwyer leads MLS with 26 fouls suffered.
• Roger Espinoza is 4th among MLS midfielders with 50 duels won.
• Krisztian Nemeth has scored in three of the club's last four matches. Each of his three shots on target this season have resulted in a goal.
• Former Chicago Fire defender Jalil Anibaba has played every minute of Sporing KC's last six games, staring with his SKC debut on March 21.
• Luis Marin has a 0.75 goals against average in four games at Sporting Park.
• Player of the Month nominee Benny Feilhaber leads MLS with five assists and last Saturday recorded his first MLS brace in a 4-4 draw at the Houston Dynamo.

Chicago Fire

• Ranks in the top five of MLS in shots (3rd, 14.5 per game), chances created (5th, 10.8 per game), passing accuracy (5th, 79.1%) and interceptions (5th, 19.8).
• Chicago is 3-0-0 against Eastern Conference teams and 0-3-0 against Western Conference teams.
• Manager Frank Yallop has a 2-10-7 road record with Chicago.
• Chicago's six goals have come from six different players.
• Homegrown player Harry Shipp leads Chicago with three assists and 14 chances created.
• Harry Shipp leads MLS midfielders with 3.2 shots per game.
• Since the beginning of 2014, no player in MLS has suffered more fouls than Quincy Amarikwa (124).
• Newly acquired Designated Player David Accam is tied for 3rd in MLS with 2.7 dribbles completed per game.
• Eric Gehrig is 4th in MLS with 4.5 interceptions per game (minimum six games played).

Milestones and miscellany

• Dom Dwyer's 30 goals in all competitions are tied for 9th in KC history, one behind Vitalis Takawira and two behind Mo Johnston.
• Benny Feilhaber is tied with Kei Kamara for 10th in KC history with 21 assists in all competitions, one behind Jack Jewsbury in 9th.
• Paulo Nagamura is one shy of his 75th MLS appearance for Sporting KC (including postseason).
• Sunday is Sporting KC's 99th game played at Sporting Park (including international friendlies).

Team stats (2015 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis (stats as of April 30, 2015)

Recent MLS meetings

• KC all-time MLS record vs. Chicago: 13-25-11
• KC at home in series: 9-8-9 (2-1-3 at Sporting Park)