Five Things presented by Children’s Mercy Kansas City: Sporting heads south to face Austin FC | May 18, 2024 | Sporting Kansas City (2024)

Sporting Kansas City jets down to Texas this weekend to take on Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Saturday night. Kickoff is set for 7:40 p.m. CT and will be available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in English and Spanish. The match will also be available on the radio locally on Sports Radio 810 WHB (English) and La Grande 1340 AM (Spanish).

1. LOOKING TO SNAP LEAGUE WINLESS RUN

Sporting Kansas City had an opportunity to catch their collective breath this week following a hectic previous spell that saw the team play 210 minutes in the space of four days last week. Sporting went the full 120 minutes last Wednesday in their 2-1 win over Union Omaha in the U.S. Open Cup before falling 2-1 to Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.

Sporting will look to enter this weekend’s match against Austin FC at Q2 Stadium down in Texas refreshed and ready to turn the club’s form around, having gone winless in their last six MLS matches (0-4-2) since beating Toronto FC 3-1 at BMO Field on March 30. Austin are coming off a midweek match of their own, having earned a late 1-0 victory over Houston at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday night.

Sporting are currently in a tie for 12th place in the Western Conference with 11 points, five points out of the ninth and final playoff position. Heading into this weekend’s slate of matches, Sporting leads the league in goals scored from outside the area (5) and in percentage of shots taken outside the area (50%), while the team is also tied for third in MLS in set piece goals scored (7).

2. ATTACKING AUSTIN

Sporting Kansas City hits the road this weekend to take on Austin FC at Q2 Stadium down in Texas looking to right the ship after going winless in their last six league games. Austin is coming off a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Houston Dynamo FC at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday night, with star midfielder Sebastian Driussi finding a late winner midweek.

The two sides split the season series in 2023, with each team claiming victory at home. First, Sporting cruised to a 4-1 victory at Children’s Mercy Park on June 10, 2023 behind a brace from Alan Pulido and further goals from Robert Castellanos and Khiry Shelton. Pulido was named MLS Player of the Matchday following his performance.

Sporting last paid a visit to Q2 Stadium in Austin on July 15, 2023 at the end of a busy stretch that saw the team play three matches in seven days and a rotated lineup fell to a 2-1 defeat. Gyasi Zardes and Ethan Finlay gave Austin an early two-goal lead before Dany Rosero pulled a goal back off Daniel Salloi’s corner midway through the first half, but Sporting was unable to find the equalizer.

Sporting is yet to enjoy any success at Q2 Stadium, having lost on all three visits since Austin joined MLS as an expansion team in 2021. Sporting trails the all-time series 2-4-1, with a winning 2-1-1 mark at home and a 0-3-0 mark on the road.

3. SALLOI OPENS ACCOUNT IN 2024

Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi got off the mark in 2024 this past weekend, finding the back of the net in the second half of Sporting’s 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday night.

In the 61st minute, Salloi received a pass from Memo Rodriguez 20 yards from goal and turned on a dime before rifling the ball into the bottom corner beyond a sprawling Steve Clark in the Houston goal.

Salloi now has 98 goal contributions (59 goals, 39 assists) for Sporting in all competitions, passing Chris Klein for sole possession of fourth most in club history. The goal was also the 69th of his professional career.

Salloi, who is 12th in Sporting KC history with 227 appearances in all competitions, ranks fourth in club history in both regular season goals (46) and goals across all competitions (59).

4. RODRIGUEZ SHINES vs. FORMER CLUB

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Memo Rodriguez enjoyed a fine outing against his former club Houston Dynamo FC in the club’s 2-1 loss at Children’s Mercy Park last Saturday night.

Rodriguez proved to be a key driving force in Sporting’s midfield on Saturday night, consistently providing bite and intensity in the middle of the field. In the 61st minute, Rodriguez set up Daniel Salloi for the equalizing goal after striding forward from midfield, marking his team-leading third assist of the MLS season.

Rodriguez, who spent the first eight years of his professional career with the Dynamo after coming through the club’s Academy, had previously set up both of Dany Rosero’s goals this season off corner kicks.

The 28-year-old will face another former team this weekend, having spent the second half of the 2023 season with Austin FC following a trade with the LA Galaxy. He made nine appearances and tallied one assist before leaving the club and joining Sporting as a free agent in the offseason.

5. SPORTING TO HOST FC TULSA IN OPEN CUP ROUND OF 16

Sporting Kansas City earned a thrilling 2-1 road win at Union Omaha last Wednesday in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and has advanced to host FC Tulsa at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, May 21 at Children’s Mercy Park.

Led by first-year head coach Mario Sanchez – a former draft pick of the Kansas City Wizards in 1998 – FC Tulsa and Sporting Kansas City will meet for the first time in each club’s history. FC Tulsa competes in the USL Championship and has reached the Round of 16 for the first time after a 1-0 victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Tuesday.

Sporting Kansas City rallied for a 2-1 comeback victory in Omaha last week as Marinos Tzionis equalized in the second half to force extra time and Alan Pulido came off the bench to score the latest goal in club history with a 120th-minute game-winner.

Sporting Kansas City is one of six remaining Major League Soccer teams in a Round of 16 field that features 10 teams from leagues in the lower divisions of American soccer.