Preview: First-place Sporting KC welcomes Portland Timbers for ESPN clash on Saturday

Sporting Kansas City (8-4-6, 1st place) kick off a three-game homestand on Saturday when the club hosts the Portland Timbers (7-7-4, 3rd place) at Children’s Mercy Park. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM. Additional in-game updates will be provided via the Sporting KC Uphoria mobile app, where users will receive an offer for free Breyer’s ice cream at Price Chopper. A limited number of tickets for the marquee Western Conference clash are available on SeatGeek.com.

Sporting KC enters the match on the back of a six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, going 4-0-2 in the month of June. Portland has suffered three losses in its last four games, including a 2-1 defeat against rival Seattle Sounders FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup fourth round.

Last Saturday, Sporting KC snapped their six-game road winless skid at LA Galaxy to take all three points, with first-half goals from Roger Espinoza and Ike Opara enough to earn a 2-1 victory at StubHub Center. Peter Vermes' men stayed hot in Houston on Wednesday in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16, securing a 2-0 victory over the Dynamo thanks to goals from Opara and Gerso.

Sporting KC is 6-0-2 at home this season, although their six-game winning streak at Children's Mercy Park was snapped in a 1-1 draw against the Montreal Impact on June 10. Sporting KC are still unbeaten in 17 straight regular season home games dating back to June 2016, an all-time club record. Goalkeeper Tim Melia leads the league with nine clean sheets, while midfielder Ilie is the most prolific passer in MLS. Opara, a center back, has also been dangerous in attack with four goals in the past six games. Gerso has a team-best six MLS goals, all of which coming at home.

Under the guidance of head coach Caleb Porter, the Timbers occupy third place heading into Week 18 of the MLS season. Portland played twice last week, falling to a 3-2 road defeat against Minnesota United FC on June 21 before battling Seattle to a 2-2 tie in the Cascadian rivalry match at Providence Park in Portland. The Timbers owe their good position to positive results at home (5-1-3), but the team has experienced difficulties on the road (2-6-1). Midfielder Diego Valeri and striker Fanendo Adi have both scored nine goals this season and will be highly monitored by the Sporting KC defense.

Sporting KC are 6-2-3 all-time against the Timbers, including a 1-0 win this season at Providence Park that saw Dom Dwyer enter the scoresheet. Vermes' men have posted shutouts in six of their last seven regular season meetings with Portland, including two straight clean sheets at Children's Mercy Park.

Sporting KC will be forced to cope with numerous absences on Saturday. Striker Dom Dwyer and defenders Graham Zusi and Matt Besler will be playing with the U.S. Men's National Team in preparation for the CONCACAF Gold cup. Midfielder Benny Feilhaber remains the only name on Sporting Kansas City’s injury report as of Friday. He is questionable with a lower leg injury, sustained in a reckless challenge from LA Galaxy’s Nathan Smith in last Saturday’s 2-1 victory over the Californians.

Portland will be without multiple players, as well. Costa Rican David Guzman and Jamaican duo Darren Mattocks and Alvas Powell have joined their national teams for the Gold Cup, while Jack Barmby (calf), Liam Ridgewell (quad), Amobi Okugo (knee) and Diego Chara (hamstring) are out injured. U.S. international midfielder Darlington Nagbe is questionable with a hamstring strain.