By the Numbers presented by KDOT

By The Numbers presented by KDOT: #MINvSKC | June 12, 2019

"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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Sporting Kansas City will detour from their 2019 MLS campaign on Wednesday to begin their journey in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a prestigious knockout-style tournament that the club has won three times since 2012 and on four occasions overall.


Sporting's bid for another Open Cup championship will begin under difficult circumstances, as the side is faced with a road trip to Minnesota United FC in Wednesday's Fourth Round. The showdown serves as a standout fixture in the round of 32, kicking off at 7 p.m. CT and streaming live on ESPN+. As Sporting prepare for their inaugural visit to Allianz Field, let's take a statistical look at the matchup in our newest edition of By The Numbers.


Head-to-Head


  • Sporting and Minnesota are set to meet in the U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round for the fourth time in six seasons. Sporting has won each of the previous three meetings, posting shutout home victories in 2014 and 2017 while also prevailing 2-1 after extra time in Minnesota in 2016.
  • Sporting are 6-1-2 against Minnesota in all competitions since 2014, including a 3-1-2 mark in MLS competition and a 3-0-0 record in the Open Cup.
  • Sporting has outscored the Loons 19-6 across these nine meetings, including an 8-1 aggregate score in three Open Cup fixtures.
  • Sporting are 1-1-2 at Minnesota since 2016, including their Open Cup win three years ago at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.
  • Benny Feilhaber recorded a goal and an assist in Sporting's 2-1 Open Cup win at Minnesota in June 2016.
  • Daniel Salloi scored his first career Sporting goal in a 4-0 Open Cup win over Minnesota in June 2017.


Minnesota United FC


  • 2019 MLS record: 6-7-3 (21 points, 7th in Western Conference)
  • 2019 MLS home record: 3-1-3 (9 GF, 7 GA)
  • Last MLS match: L 0-1 at Colorado Rapids on June 8
  • Last 5 MLS matches: 0-3-2, 2 points (W-W-L-L-L)
  • Minnesota has never advanced past the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16.
  • Minnesota hasn't scored a goal in the Open Cup since falling 2-1 to Sporting in June 2016. The Loons fell 4-0 to Sporting in the 2017 Fourth Found. Last year, they defeated FC Cincinnati on penalties following a scoreless draw before losing 1-0 to Houston in the Round of 16.
  • Minnesota has lost three straight matches since defeating Houston on May 25.
  • Minnesota has posted five shutouts this season behind first-year goalkeeper Vito Mannone, having recorded just two in all of 2018.
  • Forward Darwin Quintero leads Minnesota with five goals, while defender Romain Metanire ranks sixth in MLS with a team-best six assists.
  • Thirteen of Minnesota's 16 MLS matches have been decided by a goal or less.
  • Minnesota leads MLS with 12.6 interceptions per game and ranks second with 12.3 tackles won per game.
  • Former Sporting defender Ike Opara ranks third in MLS in clearances (81) and 10th in interceptions (27)


Sporting Kansas City 


  • 2019 MLS record: 3-5-7, 16 points (10th in Western Conference)
  • 2019 MLS away record: 0-3-4 (7 GF, 12 GA)
  • Last MLS match: T 2-2 at Toronto FC on June 7
  • Last 5 MLS matches: 1-1-3, 6 points (T-W-L-T-T)
  • Sporting's four Open Cup titles are tied with Chicago and Seattle for the most among MLS clubs.
  • Manager Peter Vermes owns a 20-6-3 record in U.S. Open Cup competition.
  • Sporting have won nine straight Round of 32 matches dating back to 2001. The club hasn't lost a Round of 32 fixture since 2000, when the Wizards went on to win the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup.
  • Sporting are 9-9-4 all-time in Open Cup away matches, including a 5-2-1 mark since 2011.
  • Forward Daniel Salloi is tied for second in club history with five Open Cup goals, one shy of tying Dom Dwyer's record of six.
  • Midfielder Benny Feilhaber has three goals and nine assists in 13 career Open Cup appearances for Sporting.
  • Goalkeeper Tim Melia has an 8-1-2 record in Open Cup matches as a member of Sporting.


Milestones and Miscellany


  • Defender Jimmy Medranda is one shy of his 100th appearance for Sporting in all competitions.


Recent #MINvSKC meetings (all competitions)


  • Regular season record vs. Minnesota: 3-1-2
  • All competitions record vs. Minnesota since 2017 (as MLS club): 4-1-2
  • All competitions record vs. Minnesota all-time: 6-2-3
<strong>Date</strong>
<strong>Result</strong>
<strong>H/A</strong>
<strong>Competition</strong>
05/07/2017
L 0-2
Away
MLS
06/03/2017
W 3-0
Home
MLS
06/14/2017
W 4-0
Home
Open Cup Fourth Round
10/07/2017
T 1-1
Away
MLS
05/20/2018
T 1-1
Away
MLS
06/03/2018
W 4-1
Home
MLS
0825/2018
W 2-0
Home
MLS

Team stats (2019 regular season)


MLS rank in parenthesis (as of June 11)

<strong>Category (per game)</strong>
<strong>Sporting</strong>
<strong>Minnesota</strong>
Goals scored
1.73 (t-3rd)
1.44 (14th)
Goals conceded
1.80 (t-18th)
1.56 (t-15th)
Shots
13.8 (8th)
13.3 (12th)
Shots on goal
5.1 (t-5th)
3.7 (18th)
Shooting accuracy
46.6% (8th)
39.9% (20th)
Shot conversion rate
12.6% (6th)
10.9% (16th)
Passing accuracy
84.2% (2nd)
79.4% (18th)
Possession
55.1% (6th)
46.4% (18th)
Chances created
9.1 (13th)
9.4 (12th)
Duels won
48.0 (24th)
54.4 (9th)
Tackles won
9.6 (20th)
12.3 (2nd)
Interceptions
8.9 (22nd)
8.4 (23rd)
Clearances
17.7 (14th)
18.8 (8th)
Fouls committed
12.3 (9th)
12.1 (11th)
Fouls suffered
10.6 (15th)
10.3 (16th)
Shots faced
13.0 (11th)
13.1 (12th)