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Following Orlando City SC‘s 2-2 draw against Philadelphia Union, James O’Connor‘s Lions now head west to Missouri to take on Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park.
A real tough looking fixture on paper, Peter Vermes’ side are enjoying a fantastic season and recently set a franchise-record shutout streak of four consecutive MLS clean sheets thanks to their 2-0 win over Minnesota United on August 25.
Last travelling to Children’s Mercy Park way back in May 2016, a certain Dom Dwyer scored against the Lions to kick-start a late 2-1 comeback after a Jimmy Medranda own goal had given the Lions a 67th minute lead.
Qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of their seven seasons competing in Major League Soccer since their rebrand from Kansas City Wizards in 2011, SKC know what it takes to successfully navigate the months of September and October.
Winning MLS Cup once in their current form back in 2013, Sporting Kansas City have also been crowned Western Conference champions on two occasions back in 2011 and 2012.
SKC don’t currently have a single player in the top 10 MLS goalscoring leaders so far this season but this is a testament to Peter Vermes’ side sharing the goals around with Diego Rubio (8) Johnny Russell (8) and Dániel Sallói (7) all contributing their fair share in 2018.
Thankfully for the Lions, all three of these star players will miss this fixture as they are currently away on international duty with Chile, Scotland and Hungary respectively.
While Orlando City SC‘s 2018 MLS Cup playoff qualification hopes are now over, it’s all about showing heart, fight and determination in the games that remain.
2015/17 head-to-head stats
Last facing each other well over a year ago now, Orlando City SC and Sporting Kansas City played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Orlando City Stadium in May 2017.
A game that halted the Lions’ 100% home winning record in a fantastic start to 2017, Latif Blessing’s was a constant nuisance on the night as his two goals helped earn Peter Vermes’ side a draw.
With the since departed Blessing pegging back Orlando City SC‘s 2-1 lead in the 74th minute, the second-half was particularly feisty in Central Florida.
Orlando City SC 2 Sporting Kansas City 2 – Highlights – May 13, 2017 (Credit: Sporting Kansas City)
Being a Western Conference side, Orlando City SC only face Sporting Kansas City once a season.
Three-and-a-bit seasons into our MLS journey, there is an equal amount of wins, draws and losses for both sides in this game series.
In the clubs’ first ever MLS meeting way back in September 2015, a brace from Adrian Winter and strike from Bryan Róchez helped City overcome SKC 3-1 in Orlando City SC‘s late surge for the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Orlando City SC 3 Sporting Kansas City 1 – Highlights – September 13, 2015 (Credit: Sporting Kansas City)
Sporting Kansas City form
Winning their last two home fixtures in MLS by a combined 5-0 scoreline, Sporting Kansas City have kept a clean sheet in their last couple of games at Children’s Mercy Park.
Overcoming Adrian Heath‘s Minnesota United 2-0 on August 25, Chilean striker Diego Rubio scored yet again to make it two in two at home.
Thankfully, Orlando City SC won’t have to deal with SKC’s three main men in this encounter. Indeed, Diego Rubio, Johnny Russell and Dániel Sallói are all currently away on international duty for Chile, Scotland and Hungary after impressive seasons so far.
Notching seven goals this year, Dániel Sallói’s form hasn’t gone unnoticed by Hungary who awarded him a first senior international call-up recently for their UEFA Nations League fixtures against Finland and Greece.
Sporting Kansas City 2 Minnesota United 0 – Highlights – August 25, 2018 (Credit: Sporting Kansas City)
Scoring in FOUR of Sporting Kansas City’s last FIVE Major League Soccer fixtures, Diego Rubio has been in electric form recently!
But as we’ve discussed, Peter Vermes will have to do without the Chilean striker in this one with Reinaldo Rueda recalling the 25-year-old to the national team fold for upcoming friendlies against Japan and South Korea.
Winning just three senior international caps with La Roja since 2011, his MLS form hasn’t gone unnoticed by Chile who are currently ranked the twelfth best side in the world.
This is probably the best time to be facing SKC with Johnny Russell and Dániel Sallói also missing.
Orlando City SC form
He scores when he wants, he scores when he wants, Scott Sutter, he scores when he wants!
Orlando City SC have discovered an unlikely goalscorer in recent weeks with Swiss full back Scott Sutter scoring in THREE of the Lions’ last FOUR league fixtures.
Notching against New England Revolution, Atlanta United and most recently Philadelphia Union, two of these goals came in stoppage time too!
A real testament to James O’Connor‘s side battling until the bitter end, hopefully Sutter can keep up this useful habit!