Sporting KC will play their second of three straight road games Saturday night when they take on the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. The match will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on NBC Sports Network. 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 Power and Light and overland Park.
Here are five things you should know ahead of Saturday's match vs. New York.
1. Stop the skid
Sporting Kansas City enters Saturday's match on a three-game losing streak. The last three-game losing streak for Peter Vermes' side was May 2012. The last four-game losing streak was May 2011. More concering for Vermes is the fact that his team has allowed three goals in each of the past three games and has not posted a shutout since June 27 (11 straight matches without one). If Sporting KC wants to remain in the hunt for the Eastern Conference title, they will need to shut down a high-powered Red Bulls attack and find the defensive form that allowed the fewest goals in MLS in 2012 and 2013.
2. Battle of goal scorerers
Shutting out the Red Bulls is not easy task, however, as the home side features the top goalscorer in MLS, Bradley Wright-Phillips and one of the most decorated players of all-time, Thierry Henry. Wright-Phillips has 20 goals in 24 games and holds the Red Bulls' single-season scoring record. Henry is a hightlight rell waiting to happen with seven goals and 11 assists in what could be his final season as a professional soccer player. Only the LA Galaxy's duo of Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan (49) have more combined goals and assists than Wright-Phillips and Henry (39).
Sporting Kansas City has a weapon of their own, and like Wright-Phillips, he comes from across the Atlantic. Dom Dwyer has 17 goals scored in 2014, one shy of Sporting KC's record for goals in a season. After going five games without a goal, Dwyer has three in his last three games played including two in a 4-1 win over Toronto FC on August 16.
3. Eastern Conference battle
Saturday's game is a big one for both teams. Despite being nine points clear of the red line, Sporting KC does not want to limp into the playoffs (a la Montreal in 2013) and find themselves playing in a Knockout Round match. Reversing the recent trend will be big for Vermes' squad with seven regular season games remaining.
New York, however, is below the red line, a spot no one expected them to be a year after winning their first Supporters' Shield. The Red Bulls have seven games in September - including two CONCACAF Champions League matches - so head coach Mike Petke would love nothing more than to start the month off with a win and give his team a little breathing room.
4. Reinforcements on the way
Both Dwyer and World Cup veteran Benny Feilhaber will be available on Saturday after missing Wednesday's match at New England due to yellow card accumulation. Getting Dwyer and Feilhaber back will be a boon for an offense that managed only two shots on goal against the Revolution on Wednesday. Another player who could feature for Sporting KC is midfeilder Paulo Nagamura. The Brazilian veteran is with the team in New York, but has been out since July 6 with an ankle injury.
5. Johnny's Tavern Watch Party
Fans are encouraged to join the club’s official watch party tonight at Johnny’s Tavern in Power and Light District and in Overland Park. 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.
