Sporting Kansas City are making a late play for the wild-card round in Major League Soccer, and they seek another victory at Children's Mercy Park in Saturday night's match-up with Minnesota United.
Although a guaranteed playoff position is out of the Wizards' reach, the Missouri outfit can still end ninth, but they need an eight-point swing in the regular season's concluding rounds to supplant their next opponent.
Match preview
Sporting KC have a lot of ground to make up to end in the wild-card round, but they are doing their chances lots of good with their late-season upswing.
Peter Vermes's men notched their eighth win of the season on Wednesday night to move to 31 points in the overall table, staying 12th in the standings and still in with an outside chance of supplanting Dallas, Austin and this weekend's opponents.
However, the Wizards are eight points behind Minnesota and have played a game more, meaning that finishing ninth requires a late-season collapse from the side they face next and Sporting staying perfect to end as the Western Conference's ninth-placed side.
While that outcome remains to be seen, the US Open Cup finalists are not throwing in the towel, even if their patchy road results could ultimately prevent them from running Minnesota close.
The Wizards have secured 13 points from an available 15 on home turf, while four points have been accrued in their last 12 fixtures away from Kansas, highlighting the inconsistencies.
Saturday's match offers Vermes's men a chance to narrow their gap to five points with three games remaining (compared to Minnesota's four), despite the visiting team's desire to bounce back from their recent 2-1 defeat to Cincinnati.
Eric Ramsay's troops should feel no shame after losing to the second-placed Eastern outfit and second overall despite entering the match-up on a two-game winning run.
The upshot of the 2-1 home loss leaves the Loons facing an uphill battle to push for the coveted playoff spots in their final five matches, as they sit on 39 points, four adrift of Portland Timbers and six behind seventh-placed Houston.
Having had their form at home and away oscillate throughout the year, Minnesota have had more joy in away games recently, notching victories at the cellar-dwelling San Jose Earthquakes (2-1) and St. Louis City (3-1) following a 1-1 draw with Houston Dynamo in mid-July.
That encourages the travelling support, who have seen their side lose two on the trot on home soil and claim one success in six at Allianz Field, falling to five defeats, as they hope to claim a positive result for the fourth away match running.
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Team News
Jacob Davis returns from suspension for Kansas City following a suspension that ruled him out against Colorado Rapids.
However, the home side are expected to be without Nemanja Radoja due to a groin problem, while Joaquin Fernandez is touch-and-go because of a similar issue.
Fresh off a brace against Pids, Alan Pulido seeks to be as decisive this weekend as the Wizards play in front of their supporters.
Although he featured in the September international break for Puerto Rico, Zarek Valentin is not expected to add to his four MLS appearances for Minnesota this weekend after sustaining a foot injury.
Anthony Markanich, one yellow card from suspension, was an unused substitute against Cincinnati, making the left-back available for selection.
Kelvin Yeboah has netted in three of the Loons' last four league fixtures, albeit mostly from penalties, and the forward could add to his four league goals since returning from a temporary spell with Genoa.
Sporting Kansas City possible starting lineup:
Pulskamp; Shelton, Castellanos, Fontas, Ndenbe; Rodriguez, Bassong; Russell, Pulido, Afrifa; Agada
Minnesota United possible starting lineup:
St. Clair; Diaz, Boxall, Tapias, Rosales; Dotson, Harvey; Hlongwane, Lod, Pereyra; Yeboah
We say: Sporting Kansas City 2-1 Minnesota United
Despite Minnesota securing seven points from nine on their travels, it is hard to look beyond Kansas City for a home victory due to their undefeated five-match run at Children's Mercy Park.
Thus, a marginal success is a safe bet for the club keen to move five points behind the visiting side.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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