Sporting Kansas City hosts the first of two straight CONCACAF Champions League group stage matches Thursday night against Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa. The reigning MLS champions picked up a point in their CCL opener on Aug. 19 at Real Esteli, but now a sterner test awaits at Sporting Park. Saprissa has yet to lose in six games across all competitions since their 2014 Apertura campaign began in August. Moreover, each of Costa Rica's three CCL representatives have yet to lose in the group stage. Here's a closer look at the matchup in our By The Numbers preview.
Sporting KC
- Sporting KC is the only MLS team making a second consecutive appearance in the CCL.
- Sporting KC has conceded just one goal in three CCL matches at Sporting Park.
- Sporting KC is 3-3-6 all time in competitive international matches at home with six clean sheets (10 GF, 9 GA).
- Since 2001, Sporting KC has lost just one of nine competitive international matches at home.
- Sporting KC is 12-2-1 all-time in home matches played on Thursdays.
- Soony Saad is the only Sporting KC player on the current roster with multiple CCL goals (two).
- Matt Besler leads the current roster with eight international appearances for Sporting KC.
- Jorge Claros leads the current roster with 10 CCL appearances, nine of them coming with Honduran club Motagua from 2010-12.
Deportivo Saprissa
- Saprissa is 3-0-1 in the 2014 Costa Rican Primera Division Apertura, scoring 11 goals and conceding seven.
- Saprissa's 11 league goals have been scored by 11 different players.
- Saprissa forward Ariel Rodriguez is the joint-top scorer in the 2014-15 CCL with four goals, including a hat-trick against Real Esteli on Aug. 26.
- Five Saprissa players -- goalkeeper Kevin Briceno, forward David Ramires and midfielders Manfred Russell, Juan Bustos and David Guzman -- received call-ups for the 2014 Copa Centroamerica, a tournament Costa Rica won on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat of Guatemala in the final.
- Costa Rican clubs are 3-0-3 in the 2014-15 CCL. Saprissa, Alajuelense and Herediano are all 1-0-1 and atop their respective groups.
Players with international senior team caps in 2014
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>Deportivo Saprissa</strong> |
Matt Besler (USA)<br>
Graham Zusi (USA)<br>
Lawrence Olum (Kenya)<br>
Martin Steuble (Philippines)<br>
Soony Saad (Lebanon) |
Kevin Briceno (Costa Rica)<br>
David Ramires (Costa Rica)<br>
Manfred Russell (Costa Rica)<br>
Juan Bustos (Costa Rica)<br>
David Guzman (Costa Rica)<br>
Heiner Mora (Costa Rica)<br>
Rafael Morales (Guatemala) |
Head-to-Head
The clubs' only other meetings came in the quarterfinals of the 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Eventual champion Saprissa advanced 2-1 on aggregate.
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Result</strong> |
<strong>Venue</strong> |
March 9, 2005 |
Kansas City 0, Saprissa 0 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
March 17, 2005 |
Saprissa 2, Kansas City 1 |
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayama |
Club Honors
<strong>Sporting KC</strong> |
<strong>vs.</strong> |
<strong>Deportivo Saprissa</strong> |
1996 |
<strong>Founded</strong> |
46 |
6 |
<strong>Champions' Cup/<br>
CCL Appearances</strong> |
24 |
Semifinals<br>
2002 |
<strong>Best Champions' Cup/<br>
CCL Finish</strong> |
Winners<br>
1993, 1995, 2005 |
MLS Cup - 2<br>
Open Cup - 2 |
<strong>Domestic<br>
Titles</strong> |
Primera Division - 30 |
