FC Dallas and Sporting KC will meet for the third and final time in MLS regular season play on Friday night at Sporting Park. Dallas took the first meeting in Frisco, 3-1, while Sporting took the second leg and the U.S. Open Cup match-ups in Kansas by 4-0 and 6-2 scores respectively. FCD sits second in the West coming into the weekend with 47 points and a 14-8-5 record, while SKC sits fifth in the conference with 41 points and a 11-8-8 record.
HOT AND COLD
The last time Dallas and Kansas City met in league play, FCD was three games into an eventual of a six-game winless streak, while Sporting were approaching the end of a seven-game unbeaten swing. This time around, the tables have turned. Dallas has won three straight contests by an aggregate 7-1 score and SKC is winless in their last five contests with four losses in that span while being outscored 13-4.
KEY PLAYER FOR SPORTING KC
Dom Dwyer – It looked earlier in the week like Dallas would be able to avoid the forward who put up a hat trick in the U.S. Open Cup meeting, but after Dwyer’s red card from last week was rescinded on Tuesday, he will be a top target for SKC come Friday night.
KEY MATCH-UPS
Matt Hedges vs. Kristian Nemeth – The rookie’s hot start to 2015 has cooled in the last two months, but he scored SKC’s lone goal in Orlando on Sunday, and is always a threat. His nine goals on the year are tied for the team lead and he leads all Sporting players with 48 shots.
Jesse Gonzalez vs. Jon Kempin – After Tim Melia went down last week with a hamstring strain, second-year keeper Jon Kempin got the starting nod in SKC’s game in Orlando on Sunday. If Kempin does get the start, it’ll be a head-to-head match-up of 2014 and 2015 Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game goalkeepers.
PROJECTED LINEUP
Goalkeeper: Jon Kempin; Defenders: Seth Sinovic, Matt Besler, Kevin Ellis, Saad Abdul-Salaam; Midfielders: Benny Feilhaber, Soni Mustivar, Pablo Nagamura; Forward: Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Jacob Peterson.
KEYS TO THREE POINTS
Dallas hasn’t won in Kansas City since September 2011, but the luck could change this weekend. If they can continue their form over the last three weeks and not overlook a Sporting side that has struggled of late, FCD should take the weekend’s first three points.
