By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #SEAvSKC

"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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A tantalizing Western Conference showdown awaits Saturday when Western Conference leaders Sporting Kansas City (9-4-10, 37 points) put their club-record 13-game unbeaten streak in all competitions on the line against reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC (9-7-7, 34 points). The afternoon battle at CenturyLink Field will kick off at 3 p.m. CT on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, ESPN 99.3 FM and La Grande 1340 AM. We take a statistical look at the matchup in our By The Numbers preview.

Head-to-head

• Since the start of 2015, Sporting KC is 4-0-2 against Seattle in the regular season. This stretch includes five shutouts and three consecutive wins.
• Before 2015, Sporting KC had just one win in its first nine regular season meetings with Seattle (1-7-1).
• Sporting KC has won each of the last two regular season meetings by a 3-0 scoreline, including a rampant home victory on May 17 that saw Gerso score a historic hat-trick at Children's Mercy Park. Each of the first 13 MLS meetings between the clubs had been decided by a goal or less.
• In 15 regular season meetings, Sporting KC and Seattle have combined for more than three goals just once, when the Sounders won 3-2 at Kansas City in October 2009.
• Including playoffs, seven of the eight MLS meetings played between the teams at CenturyLink Field have produced a goal or less. The only #SEAvSKC matchup played in Seattle to produce more than one goal was a 1-1 draw in June 2012.
• In five MLS appearances against Seattle, Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia is 4-0-1 with zero goals allowed.
• The clubs notably met in the 2016 Western Conference Knockout Round at CenturyLink Field, when the Sounders emerged 1-0 victors thanks to an 88th-minute header from Nelson Valdez.

Seattle Sounders FC

• 2017 MLS record: 9-7-7, 34 points (4th in West)
• 2017 MLS home record: 6-1-3 (17 GF, 9 GA)
• Last five games: 4-0-1, 13 points (W-W-W-T-W)
• Last MLS match: W 4-0 at Minnesota United FC on Aug. 5
• Since losing 3-0 at Sporting KC to fall to 2-5-4 on May 17, Seattle has gone 7-1-2 in MLS competition.
• Seattle is 4-0-1 in its last five matches, scoring at least three goals on four occasions during that stretch.
• Seattle's seven-game unbeaten run is the second-longest active MLS streak behind Sporting KC.
• Seattle's 38.7 percent shooting accuracy is the worst mark in MLS.
• Seattle's 9.7 fouls committed per game are the fewest in MLS, while their 13.8 fouls suffered per game rank second in the league.
• Defender Joevin Jones is tied for second in MLS with 10 assists.
• Midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro leads MLS with 73 fouls suffered and is tied for the team lead with four game-winning assists.
• Forward Clint Dempsey has scored five goals in his last four MLS appearances.

 Sporting KC

• 2017 MLS record: 9-4-10, 37 points (1st in West)
• 2017 MLS away record: 2-4-5 (6 GF, 10 GA)
• Last five games: 1-0-4, 7 points (T-T-T-W-T)
• Last MLS match: T 1-1 vs. Atlanta United FC on Aug. 6
• SKC is in the midst of a 13-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, tying the all-time club record first set in 2012. Since June 3, the club has recorded six wins and seven draws.
• SKC's nine-game unbeaten run in MLS (3-0-6) is the longest active streak in MLS and the second longest this season, bested only by Chicago's 11-game surge from May to July.
• SKC's 18 goals allowed through 23 games are five fewer than any other team.
• SKC's six road goals in 11 matches are the second-fewest in MLS.
• SKC ranks second in MLS with 14.5 shots per game while facing a league-low 9.6 shots per game.
• SKC leads MLS in passes (11,663), successful passes (9,698) and passing accuracy (83.2%) while ranking second in average possession (56.8%). 
• Goalkeeper Tim Melia leads MLS in goals against average (0.78), shutouts (nine), penalty saves (three) and save percentage (79.1) among players to feature in two or more games.
• Defender Graham Zusi leads MLS defenders with 33 chances created and 25 chances created from open play.
• Midfielder Ilie is second in MLS in both passes attempted (1,611) and passes completed (1,373). 

Milestones and Miscellany

• Defender Graham Zusi is one shy of his 225th MLS appearance for Sporting KC (including playoffs).

Team stats (2017 regular season)

MLS rank in parenthesis (source: Opta)

Recent #SEAvSKC meetings

• Regular season record vs. Seattle: 5-7-3 (15 GF, 13 GA)
• Regular season away record at Seattle: 2-3-2 (3 GF, 4 GA)

*2016 Western Conference Knockout Round