Sporting KC will play its penultimate match before MLS breaks for the 2014 FIFA Wrold Cup on Saturday when they take on D.C. United at RFK Stadium. The match will kick off at 6 p.m. CT on 38 the Spot and across the Midwest on SKCTV. Saturday's match can also be heard locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Gran D 1340. Sporting KC's official watch party for the match will be at Johnny's Tavern in Overland Park.
Here are five things you should know ahead of Saturday's match at RFK Stadium.
1. Looking for a win
Sporting Kansas City has gone four straight games without a win. For a team that has been consistently at the top of the Eastern Conference over the past three years, that is not something that happens often. It happened once in 2013, once in 2012 and you have to go back to June 2011 for the last time Sporting KC went winless in five or more games.
After dropping seven points at home in their last three matches, Sporting KC would love nothing more than to get back in the win column with three points Saturday night.
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2. Finish the month strong
Dom Dwyer has been on quite a run. In his last six games, he has scored six goals and has 10 for the season. His six goals in May are tied with New York's Bradley Wright-Phillips for most in May during the 2014 season and Dwyer's six goals in May are also the most all-time for a Kansas City player in a single month.
After being held scoreless last Tuesday, can Dwyer get back on the board and regain his place atop the League's scoring chart?
3. Revamped United
D.C. United's 2013 season was one of the weirder seasons by a team in MLS history. After making the playoffs in 2012, Ben Olsen's side took a large step backward in 2013, winning only three of a potential 34 games during the regular season. However, what made United's season so weird was not the fact that they only won three games. It's the fact that despite setting MLS records for futility during the regular season, Olsen's Army shocked the world by winning the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 1-0 win at Real Salt Lake in the championship match.
In the offseason, United brought in a lot of new faces including former Kansas City teammates Eddie Johnson and Davy Arnaud. Add in veteran defenders Jeff Parke, Bobby Boswell and Sean Franklin and crafty striker Fabian Espindola, and the 2014 version of D.C. United is a shell of last year's version. While many questioned the moves to bring in so many veterans, they appear to be paying off early as United has already won more games in 2014 than they did in 2013 and sits in third place in the Eastern Conference.
4. Just keep swimming
Sporting Kansas City's situation is starting to get better. Last week, Peter Vermes welcomed back All-Star center back Aurelien Collin who put in a strong 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw vs. New York. While Matt Besler and Graham Zusi will remain with the U.S. Men's National Team through at least July 1 (hopefully a few weeks longer), Lawrence Olum is expected back after this weekend. The versatile defender/midfielder helped Kenya advance past Comoros in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying and will return to Kansas City ahead of next Friday's match vs. Houston.
5. Johnny's Tavern Watch Party
Fans are encouraged to join the club’s official watch party at Johnny’s Tavern in Overland Park (95th Street). Select Boulevard draft specials will be available, as well as the “Blue Believer” signature cocktail.
For full coverage of the match, visit SportingKC.com/Gameon.
