Preview: Sporting Kansas City vs. Los Angeles FC – prediction, team news, lineups

Sporty Kansas City will look to avoid a fourth straight defeat as they take on the challenge FC Los Angeles at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the away side head into this weekend’s trip to Kansas on a high, having emerged victorious in each of their last three matches in all competitions.

Match example

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Los Angeles FC were far from their best against St. Louis City last time out, but did just enough to come away with maximum points in Thursday’s encounter at BMO Stadium.

Gabon international returns to the starting line-up for the first time in three league games Denis Bouanga was on target for the second game which was obvious Steve Cherundolo‘s men a much-needed victory.

Since going five MLS matches without a win between September 1 and 22, Los Angeles FC has now won back-to-back league games for the first time since July, when they defeated the Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy.

Consequently, the Black and Gold remain second in the Western Conferencealthough they are running out of time to usurp their city rivals Los Angeles Galaxy at the top of the division heading into the final three games of the regular season.

In the first of those three matches, Los Angeles FC renews hostilities against Sporting Kansas City, less than two weeks after Sunday’s US Open Cup final, which the visitors won 3-1.

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With virtually nothing left to play this season, Sporting Kansas City was powerless to stop St. Louis City from winning 3-1 when the teams played each other at CITYPARK on Thursday.

Goals from Carlo Teuchert And Rasmus Alm left Peter Vermes‘s men with a mountain to climb Stephen Afrifa withdrew one, only for Edward Lowen to put the result beyond doubt 15 minutes before the end.

That was a third straight defeat for the Wizards either side of the loss to Los Angeles FC in the US Open Cup final, which was their only chance for a rare positive outcome in an otherwise tumultuous season.

Four years after finishing top of the West, Sporting Kansas are on course to finish bottom, but this time they have managed just eight wins in 32 league matches so far.

In what is scheduled to be their final home game of the campaign, Sunday’s hosts will be keen to finish on a winning note in front of their fans, having won eight of nine matches ahead of this weekend be undefeated.

Sporting Kansas City Major League Soccer format:

Sporting Kansas City form (all competitions):

Los Angeles FC Major League Soccer format:

Los Angeles FC form (all competitions):

Team news

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Just after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season, which will see him serve a one-match suspension, Daniel Rosero is not eligible to play a role here for Sporting Kansas City.

Midfielder Nemanja Radoja suffered a groin injury in the Leagues Cup match against Mexican side Toluca in August and has not played since.

Johannes Pulskamp got a rare start last time, but Tim Melia The expectation is that the home team will return between the sticks in this match.

FC Los Angeles Jesus Murillo And Lorenzo Dellavalle are ruled out this weekend due to knee injuries Aaron Long‘s involvement remains in doubt as he has only just returned from a leg injury.

Maxime Chanot is suspended for the away team, but Sergi Palencia is set for an immediate return to the lineup after missing the win over St. Louis City due to a ban.

Denis Bouanga’s winner was his 19th league goal this season, and the 29-year-old is now just three goals away from Christian Benteke at the top of the MLS scoring charts.

Possible starting line-up of Sporting Kansas City:
Melia; Ndenbe, Voloder, Castellanos, Shelton; Davis, Bassong; Salloi, Thommy, Russell; Pulido

Possible starting line-up of Los Angeles FC:
Lloris; Segura, Hollingshead, Palencia; Olivera, Tillman, O’Brien, Campos; Bogusz, Giroud, Bouanga

We say: Sporting Kansas City 1-2 Los Angeles FC

Only San Jose Earthquakes have conceded more goals than Sporting Kansas City in the West, and while Los Angeles FC are not currently operating at full capacity in attack, we could see them coming away with the points at the end of the 90 minutes.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match, click here.

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