Entering the weekend as leaders in the Supporters Shield race, Sporting Kansas City visits Vancouver with hopes of making history. The defending MLS champions (11-5-6, 39 points) have recorded five straight road road victories, and a sixth at BC Place on Sunday would put Peter Vermes' men level wtih the 2005 San Jose Earthquakes for most consecutive away wins in MLS history during the non-shootout era (2000-present).
The task is far from simple, however, as no team has lost fewer contests in 2014 than the Whitecaps (6-4-11, 29 points). Midfield talisman Pedro Morales (seven goals, eight assists) pulls the strings in attack, but five others have contributed at least three goals on the season. We take an even closer look in our By The Numbers preview.
Notable stats (MLS regular season)
- Sporting KC's eight-game unbeaten run is the longest active streak in MLS
- Sporting KC's eight MLS wins in Canada are tied for most among any American club
- Sporting KC's seven road wins are at least two more than any other team
- Sporting KC ranks first in road clean sheets (three)
- Sporting KC ranks first in average possession (56.9%) second in successful passes (7,826) and third in passing accuracy (81.2%)
- Sporting KC ranks first in chances created from set play (50), at least 10 more than any other team
- Sporting KC ranks first in fouls committed (318) and second in fouls suffered (338)
- Dom Dwyer ranks first in headed goals (three) and left-footed goals (nine)
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Graham Zusi ranks second in chances created per 90 minutes (3.42 -- minimum 1,000 minutes played)
- Vancouver is undefeated (3-0-5) against Eastern Conference opponents
- Vancouver has conceded 11 goals in the final 15 minutes of matches, tied for most in MLS
- Vancouver ranks second in goals outside the box (nine), while Sporting KC ranks third (seven)
- Vancouver ranks first in penalty kick goals (nine) and have yet to miss a penalty this year
- Vancouver ranks fourth in passing accuracy (80.8%)
- Sebastian Fernandez is tied for first in goals from outside the box (three)
- Pedro Morales ranks tied for second in assists (eight), third in corner kicks (74) and fourth in chances created (55)
- Pedro Morales' 12 shots against FC Dallas on July 27 tied an all-time MLS record with Kansas City's Preki (1997) and Tampa Bay Mutiny's Mamado Diallo (2000)
- Matias Laba ranks first in tackles won (85) and third in duels won (155)
Head-to-head (MLS regular season)
Sporting KC overall: 2-0-2
- Home matches: 1-0-1 (three goals scored, two goals conceded)
- Away matches: 1-0-1 (six goals scored, four goals conceded)
<u>Date</u> |
<u>Score</u> |
<u>Result</u> |
<u>Location</u> |
04/02/2011 |
3-3 |
T |
Empire Field |
06/25/2011 |
2-1 |
W |
Sporting Park |
04/18/2012 |
3-1 |
W |
BC Place |
07/03/2013 |
1-1 |
T |
Sporting Park |
Team leaders (MLS regular season)
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>Stat</strong> |
<b>Vancouver Whitecaps</b> |
Dom Dwyer 14 |
<strong>GOALS</strong> |
Pedro Morales 7 |
Benny Feilhaber 5 |
<strong>ASSISTS</strong> |
Pedro Morales 8 |
Dom Dwyer 77 |
<strong>SHOTS</strong> |
Pedro Morales 70 |
Dom Dwyer 45 |
<strong>FOULS</strong> |
Koffie/Laba 35 |
Benny Feilhaber 55 |
<strong>FOULS WON</strong> |
Sebastian Fernandez 39 |
Three players 4 |
<strong>CAUTIONS</strong> |
Matias Laba 5 |
Eric Kronberg 38<br>
Andy Gruenebaum 13 |
<strong>SAVES</strong> |
David Ousted 56 |
Eric Kronberg 0.88<br>
Andy Gruenebaum 1.00 |
<strong>GAA</strong> |
David Ousted 1.38 |
Team stats (MLS regular season)
<strong>Stat</strong> |
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>Vancouver</strong> |
Goals Scored (Conceded) |
32 (20) |
31 (29) |
Shots (on goal) |
316 (116) |
296 (106) |
Chances Created |
224 |
214 |
Crosses/Corners (successful) |
409 (125) |
349 (79) |
Fouls Committed (Suffered) |
318 (338) |
274 (265) |
Duels Success (Avg) |
49.3% |
48.6% |
Passes per game |
438 |
419 |
Passing Accuracy (Avg) |
81.2% |
80.8% |
Possession (Avg) |
56.9% |
49.6% |
