Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 11
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City
September 12 – 8:30 PM ET

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada

LOCAL TV: FOX Sports North, FOX Sports KC

After splitting a pair of 2-1 wins, Sporting Kansas City host Minnesota United in the rubber match, a top of the Western Conference table clash Sunday night at Children's Mercy Park.

SKC (5W-3L-2D) are winless in their last four after falling on the road to the Houston Dynamo 2-1 last Saturday, while Minnesota United (5W-3L-2D) have scored seven goals in consecutive home wins, including a 3-2 triumph against FC Dallas at Allianz Field Wednesday night.

The Loons won the first meeting this season, with Kevin Molino scoring the stoppage-time winner against 10-man SKC. Peter Vermes' squad earned a measure of revenge at Allianz Field August 21 in a match that saw both teams score an own goal.

Sporting Kansas City

Erik Hurtado gave the visitors a 1-0 lead on the half-hour mark, but goals by Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas off the substitute's bench sunk SKC last Saturday night at BBVA Stadium. Sporting are 0W-2L-2D in their last four.

"I thought for 60 minutes of the game, we were pretty organized," Vermes said. "Obviously, we got the goal and that took a little pressure off. I would state that we started to probably get a little tired. I tried to make some subs. I tried to change the team around. We went to five in the back to try to deal with (Houston's attack). We knew what was going to happen. We knew they were going to come forward with a lot of people. We couldn't close the game out unfortunately."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Felipe Gutierrez (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Roger Espinoza (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Daniel Salloi (F) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Alan Pulido (F) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Winston Reid (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Erik Hurtado (F) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Gadi Kinda (M)
International duty: None

Minnesota United

Molino scored twice and Mason Toye added another goal for Minnesota United in a 3-2 win over FC Dallas at Allianz Field. Minnesota had to play with 10 men for the final eight minutes (plus stoppage time) after Romain Metanire was sent off in the 82nd minute, but they managed to hang on. The goal by Toye was especially huge with Luis Amarilla and Aaron Schoenfeld not available through injuries.

“Hopefully, it will help his confidence. I think he’s overthinking things a little bit at times. But, obviously, for front men, goals mean an awful lot," Loons coach Adrian Heath said. "So, he’s got a good opportunity, because, you know, Luis has had his injection and we still think he’s going to be two or three weeks. And, Schoenfeld is showing a lot more signs of being fit, but we still think he’s maybe a week, two weeks away. So, Mason has got an opportunity to show everybody what he can do."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Tyler Miller (GK) - hip injury
- OUT: Ike Opara (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Ethan Finlay (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Osvaldo Alonso (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Greg Ranjitsingh (GK) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Aaron Schoenfeld (F) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Luis Amarilla (F) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: Romain Metanire (D)
Suspended after next caution: Jose Aja (D)
International duty: None