By the Numbers presented by KDOT

By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #SKCvCOL

"By The Numbers" is a season-long series sponsored by The Kansas Department of Transportation, giving a statistical preview of every Sporting KC match.
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Something's got to give Sunday when Sporting Kansas City hosts the Colorado Rapids in a nationally televised showdown on FS1. Manager Peter Vermes' men are one game shy of tying the longest home unbeaten streak in club regular season history, but in order to match that milestone achievement, they'll have to take points off a plucky Rapids side that has won each of the last five meetings.


Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT Sunday and tickets are available at SeatGeek.com, including a limited-time Family 4 Pack. We offer a statistical breakdown in our By The Numbers preview...


Head-to-head


  • Sporting KC has lost five straight regular season meetings to Colorado since August 2015, tied for the second-longest losing streak to a single opponent in club history.
  • Colorado swept the 2016 series with three one-goal victories, scoring the game-winner after the 75th minute on each occasion.
  • Sporting KC went 11 games unbeaten against Colorado in MLS between 2009 and 2015 (6-0-5 including playoffs) before its current losing streak started.
  • Sporting KC is an impressive 18-5-5 against Colorado at home in the regular season, but has lost the last two meetings at Children's Mercy Park.
  • Between September 2002 and June 2015, the Rapids went 0-10-5 in 15 visits to Kansas City (including playoffs).
  • Sporting KC will meet Colorado for the 73rd time in all competitions on Sunday, making the Rapids the most frequent opponent in Kansas City history. Sporting KC leads the series 29-27-16, including a 23-22-13 regular season mark.
  • Sporting KC forward Dom Dwyer has three goals in eight MLS appearances against the Rapids, including an equalizer in a 2-1 defeat at Children's Mercy Park last April.
  • Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber has scored three times against Colorado, including one goal each in 2013 and 2014.


Colorado Rapids


  • 2017 MLS record: 1-1-1, 4 points (7th in West)
  • 2017 MLS away record: 0-1-0 (0 GF, 1 GA)
  • 2016 MLS away record: 4-6-7 (19 GF, 25 GA)
  • Last match:T 2-2 vs. Minnesota United FC on March 18
  • Colorado allowed a league-low 32 goals during the 2016 regular season, including just one in three games against Sporting KC.
  • Colorado is last in MLS with 7.3 shots and 2.0 shots on goal per game.
  • Forward Dominique Badji has scored two of Colorado's three goals this season.
  • Midfielder Micheal Azira is sixth in MLS with 4.3 interceptions per game.
  • Defender Axel Sjoberg, a 2016 MLS Best XI selection, is sixth in MLS with 4.5 headed clearances per game but will miss Sunday's match through injury.


Sporting Kansas City


  • 2017 MLS record: 1-0-3, 6 points (5th in West)
  • 2017 MLS home record: 1-0-1 (2 GF, 1 GA)
  • Last match:T 0-0 at Toronto FC on March 31
  • Sporting KC is currently riding an 11-game home unbeaten streak (8-0-3) in the regular season, one shy of tying the club record set in 2015.
  • Sporting KC's current four-game unbeaten run is the third-longest streak to start a season in club history (12 games in 2000; seven games in 2012).
  • Sporting KC is the 13th team in MLS history to allow one or fewer goals through the first four games of a regular season. No team has allowed fewer goals in 2017 than Sporting KC's one.
  • Sporting KC has conceded one goal in its last six regular season matches dating back to last October.
  • Despite leading MLS with 14.8 shots per game, Sporting KC ranks last with 0.5 goals per game. The club has scored two goals on 59 shot attempts in 2017.
  • Goalkeeper Tim Melia leads MLS with three shutouts. Among keepers with at least three games played, he ranks first in goals against average (0.25) and second in save percentage (86.7)
  • Defender Ike Opara leads MLS defenders with 24 aerial duels, while midfielder Ilie ranks fifth among all MLS players with 289 passes.


Milestones and Miscellany


  • Defender Matt Besler is one shy of his 205th regular season appearance for Sporting KC, which would lift him into sole possession of fifth place in club history (currently tied with Jimmy Conrad).
  • Defender Seth Sinovic is one shy of his 150th MLS appearance for Sporting KC (including playoffs).
  • Defender Graham Zusi is one shy of his 50th regular season assist for Sporting KC, making him just the second player in club history to reach that mark (Preki).
  • Children's Mercy Park is one shy of its 90th consecutive MLS sellout, a streak that began in April 2012.


Team stats (2017 regular season)


MLS rank in parenthesis (source: Opta)

<strong>Category (per game)</strong>
<strong>Sporting KC</strong>
<strong>Colorado</strong>
Goals scored
0.50 (t-21st)
1.00 (t-15th)
Goals conceded
0.25 (1st)
1.00 (t-6th)
Shots
14.8 (1st)
7.3 (22nd)
Shots on goal
3.8 (12th)
2.0 (22nd)
Passing accuracy
78.9 (8th)
75.3 (17th)
Possession
54.5 (7th)
50.2 (11th)
Duels won
56.7 (6th)
52.3 (11th)
Tackles won
11.0 (t-21st)
15.0 (t-7th)
Interceptions
14.5 (11th)
14.7 (10th)
Fouls committed
12.3 (11th)
12.0 (12th)
Shots faced
8.3 (1st)
10.0 (4th)

Recent #SKCvCOL regular season meetings


  • Regular season record vs. Colorado: 23-22-13
  • Regular season home record vs. Colorado: 18-5-5 (58 GF, 29 GA)
<strong>Date</strong>
<strong>Result</strong>
<strong>H/A</strong>
<strong>Competition</strong>
03/29/2014
W 3-2
Away
Zusi tallies goal and two assists, Feilhaber and Dwyer score
06/27/2015
W 2-0
Home
Myers assists Nemeth, Feilhaber cross forces own goal
08/29/2015
L 1-2
Away
Dwyer opens scoring; Kevin Doyle bags 76th-minute winner
10/21/2015
L 0-2
Home
Dillon Powers and Marcelo Sarvas score late
04/13/2016
L 1-2
Home
Solignac (41') and Gashi (82') cancel out Dwyer goal (77')
05/11/2016
L 0-1
Away
Dillon Serna scores winner in 78th minute
07/16/2016
L 0-1
Away
Marlon Hairston scores winner in 78th minute