FC Cincinnati vs. Sporting Kansas City | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 21
FC Cincinnati vs. Sporting Kansas City
Nippert Stadium – Cincinnati
October 28 – 7:30 PM ET

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

LOCAL TV: Star64, FOX Sports KC

FC Cincinnati hope to move out of the Eastern Conference basement, while Sporting Kansas City will try to maintain their spot atop the West when the sides square off at Nippert Stadium Wednesday night. 

FC Cincinnati (4W-12L-4D) are coming off a 1-0 home loss to Minnesota United, their second defeat in a row and sixth loss in their last seven games, while Sporting KC (10W-6L-3D) jumped ahead of the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers into first place in the West following a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids Saturday night at home.

This is the second all-time meeting between FC Cincinnati and Sporting Kansas City, with the teams sharing the points in a 1-1 draw at Nippert Stadium April 7, 2019. Gianluca Busio equalized in the second half after Darren Mattocks put the hosts in front in the first half. 

FC Cincinnati

Aaron Schoenfeld scored the decisive goal in second-half stoppage time to lift Minnesota United to a 1-0 victory over FC Cincy Saturday night. The goal came off a corner kick FC Cincinnati believe shouldn't have been awarded. 

"Overall we defended very, very well and then you concede the goal from a corner which is not a corner, which I find unbelievable," FC Cincinnati head coach Jaap Stam said after the match. "The referees, they're only watching the bench in terms of what we are doing, what we are saying, but they give decisions away, which I think is shocking to be honest and that's costing us."

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • OUT: Greg Garza (D) - undisclosed injury
  • OUT: Przemyslaw Tyton (GK) - undisclosed injury
  • OUT: Caleb Stanko (M) - undisclosed injury
• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: Kendall Waston (D)
• International duty:  None

Sporting Kansas City

Alan Pulido broke a scoreless stalemate in the 54th minute and opened the floodgates as Andreu Fontas, Gadi Kinda and Gerso Fernandes followed with goals in a convincing 4-0 win over the Colorado Rapids Saturday at Children's Mercy Park. No team has more wins (4) or points (13) than Sporting KC in the month of October. 

"I really don’t pay too much mind to what people are saying about us," Peter Vermes said after the match. "When you win, you get respect. When you don’t, you don’t. We’re in first place right now. We’ve still got games left and we’ve got to keep working to try to get into the playoffs in the best position we can. That’s all we’re focused on."

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • OUT: Felipe Gutierrez (M) - knee injury
  • OUT: Graham Zusi (D) - left midfoot sprain
  • OUT: Winston Reid (D) - undisclosed injury
  • OUT: Gianluca Busio (M) - undisclosed injury
• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: Ilie Sanchez (M)
• International duty:  None

Series Matchup at FC Cincinnati

• This is the second all-time matchup between FC Cincinnati and Sporting Kansas City at Nippert Stadium. The teams played to a 1-1 draw April 7, 2019.

Officials

• Referee: David Gantar
• Assistant Referees: Andrew Bigelow, Gjovalin Bori
• 4th Official: Joshua Encarnacion
• VAR: Hilario Grajeda