Sporting Kansas City vs Minnesota United: Preview and How to Watch
By Eric Harris
Sporting Kansas City looks to get back on track while Minnesota looks to keep their momentum.
After two losses on the road, Sporting Kansas City looks to get back to winning ways and a match at Children’s Mercy Park should help. Minnesota wants a second win over SKC this year to jump right in the middle of the Western Conference.
Both teams will be shorthanded due to international duty and card accumulation. Although it could have been much worse for Sporting. Bruce Arena allowed Matt Besler to return after Kevin Ellis’ injury. With Erik Palmer-Brown with the U-20 National Team, SKC was precariously thin at center back. Minnesota will be without a trio of key pieces as well.
Sporting Kansas City
Current Record: 6-4-4 (22 pts, 2nd in Western Conference)
Last Time Out: 0-1 Loss at Colorado Rapids
Player to Watch: Soni Mustivar. A former starter who has turned into more of a super sub. Can he hold down the midfield for a full 90, covering Roger Espinoza’s absence?
Why They Win: Minnesota is winless on the road and Sporting Kansas City is undefeated at home. Even without a few key pieces there is still enough talent to do what they do. If Sporting presses the ball like Peter Vermes strives for, 3 points should be in their future.
Why They Won’t: Roger Espinoza is one of the biggest keys to a team that you don’t notice until he’s not in the line up. If that hole in the midfield gets too big Minnesota could take advantage.
Projected Starting XI:
Minnesota United
Current Record: 4-7-2 (14 pts, 9th in the Western Conference)
Last Time Out: 1-0 Win vs Orlando City
Player to Watch: Christian Ramirez. If you don’t know why he’s Minnesota’s player to watch you haven’t been watching MLS.
Why They Win: A lot of teams try to come to Kansas City and catch Sporting on the counter. So far that hasn’t worked, so Minnesota will need to do something different. They should be able to create a little more with Espinoza out.
Why They Won’t: The players missing right up the spine of their team could prove to be too big of an absence and Sporting hits them right through the middle. If Sporting has a big game, Benny Feilhaber taking advantage of this will be the most likely culprit.
Projected Starting XI:
Prediction
How To Watch
Where: Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, Kan.
When: Saturday, June 3 – 5 pm ET
How To Watch: ESPN in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada