Preview: Sporting KC back in action Friday against star-studded Toronto FC at BMO Field

After observing a week-long break for World Cup qualifiers and international friendlies across the globe, Sporting Kansas returns to the national spotlight Friday with a visit to Toronto FC in the 2017 home opener at BMO Field. The marquee showdown will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on FS1 and FOX Deportes, while listeners can follow the action live on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish). In addition, the Sporting KC Uphoria mobile app will provide live updates and stats throughout the night.

All supporters are welcome to join the official watch party for Friday’s match at No Other Pub in the Kansas City Power & Light District (1370 Grand Blvd.). Drink specials include $5 Boulevard drafts, and fans can choose between two all-inclusive food buffet options beginning at 6 p.m. CT.

• Peter Vermes: "We've got to finish our chances when we get them"

Toronto FC and Sporting Kansas City enter Week 5 unbeaten with identical 1-0-2 records, sitting fifth in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively. Two players from both teams represented the United States Men’s National Team in a pair of FIFA World Cup qualifiers this past week. Toronto FC’s Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley started in a 6-0 thumping of Honduras last Friday and a 1-1 draw at Panama on Tuesday, while Sporting KC right back Graham Zusi also went the distance in Panama City after coming off the bench against Honduras. His club teammate Matt Besler was an unused substitute in both contests.

Elsewhere, Sporting Kansas City’s stalwart midfielder Roger Espinoza put in two 90-minute shifts for Honduras, contributing to Tuesday’s 1-1 home draw with Costa Rica after suffering a heavy loss in San Jose, California four days earlier. Toronto’s Panamanian midfielder Armando Cooper also started twice, featuring in a 1-0 defeat at Trinidad and Tobago before facing his TFC teammates Altidore and Bradley on Tuesday night.

No team in MLS has conceded fewer goals than Sporting Kansas City through the first month of the season. Manager Peter Vermes’ men have conceded once in three matches, a 91st-minute consolation goal to the San Jose Earthquakes in a 2-1 victory on March 18. This result — highlighted by Benny Feilhaber’s wonderstrike — gave Sporting KC its first win of 2017, coming on the heels of consecutive scoreless ties against D.C. United and FC Dallas.

• Seth Sinovic: "Toronto is a very dangerous team"

Fourth-year head coach Greg Vanney steers Toronto FC into 2017 as reigning Eastern Conference champions. Friday marks the Reds’ first home game since the 2016 MLS Cup final, a gut-wrenching penalty shootout loss to Seattle Sounders FC after a goalless draw through regulation. Toronto’s unbeaten start includes road draws against Real Salt Lake and the Philadelphia Union, as well as a 2-0 win over Canadian rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC on March 18 — a match in which Altidore and substitute Victor Vazquez scored late.

Toronto’s roster includes a potent blend of star power and MLS experience. Altidore and Bradley are joined by Italian phenom Sebastian Giovinco, whose 70 combined goals (39) and assists (31) since 2015 are the most over a two-year period in MLS regular season history. At the same time, defensive solidarity from unheralded yet effective veterans such as Drew Moor, Steven Beitashour and Justin Morrow helped spur the Reds to their first MLS Cup appearance four months ago.

Sporting Kansas City has dominated the head-to-head series, going 14-4-5 overall and a remarkable 11-2-2 in the last 14 meetings. Toronto’s 14 losses to Sporting KC are their most against any opponent in club history. In addition to going 6-0-1 in the last seven meetings, Sporting KC has won three straight at BMO Field and hasn’t lost at the venue since 2009.

• Ike Opara: "We have to be able to match (Toronto's) energy"

The sides last met more than a year ago at Children’s Mercy Park, when Sporting KC emerged victorious behind Brad Davis’ lone goal in the 70th minute of a cagey affair. The most recent fixture at BMO Field came in August 2015, a 3-1 triumph for the visitors in which Feilhaber, Krisztian Nemeth and Jacob Peterson found the back of the net to overcome Bradley’s first-half equalizer.

Feilhaber is likely to miss Friday’s match as he continues to recover from a thigh strain he sustained in training last week. Long-term absentee Diego Rubio (torn ACL) is the only other player on Sporting KC’s injury report.

Toronto broke positive news Wednesday when the club confirmed that Giovinco will return to the lineup after missing the Reds’ previous match against Vancouver with an upper-leg contusion. Defender Ashtone Morgan (foot stress fracture) is the lone player set to miss out for the hosts.