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FC Dallas host Sporting KC at the Toyota Stadium in their week 18 MLS fixture on Wednesday night in what will be the third meeting between these two Western Conference sides since the beginning of the regular season.
Sporting KC will be putting their three-game winning run on the line in this game while FC Dallas will be hoping to bring a four-game winless run to an end.
Sporting are just one point off the league-leading Seattle Sounders, who are not playing in the next three rounds of matches. Sporting KC can therefore go atop the standings with a win here.
FC Dallas vs Sporting Kansas City Head-to-Head
FC Dallas and Sporting KC have squared off 69 times across all competitions since 1996. The head-to-head record is pretty even at this point, as Dallas have recorded 27 wins so far against Sporting's 29, while 13 games ended in a stalemate.
Both sides are evenly matched when it comes to scoring goals against each other, as Sporting have found the back of the net 121 times in 69 games, while Dallas have scored 122 goals.
Sporting are winless in their previous four meetings with the hosts and will be looking to get a favourable result this time out.
FC Dallas form guide: L-D-D-L-W
Sporting KC form guide: L-L-W-W-W
FC Dallas vs Sporting Kansas City Team News
Veteran defender Matt Hedges has played in all but one of Dallas' 15 games this season but will be sidelined for Wednesday's game on account of a muscle injury picked up in a 2-0 loss at Houston on October 7. Brazilian defender Bressan will probably be manager Luchi Gonzalez's first choice to replace Hedges.
Paxton Pomykal and Santiago Mosquera are nursing injuries of their own and will miss yet another game of the MLS 2020 regular season.
Injured: Santiago Mosquera (undisclosed), Paxton Pomykal (hip), Matt Hedges (muscle)
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Sporting KC have one of their key defenders sidelined heading into the fixture as right-back Graham Zusi is set to miss his second straight game with a foot injury. Jaylin Lindsey filled in for Zusi in the side's win over Nashville and should retain his place on Wednesday night.
Defender Matt Besler has returned to training after recovering from a hamstring injury and may play a part in the game, albeit from the bench. Felipe Gutiérrez has not been cleared to join the squad and will remain on the sidelines. Striker Alan Pulido is on international duty with Mexico.
Injured: Graham Zusi (foot), Felipe Gutiérrez (undisclosed)
Doubtful: Matt Besler
Suspended: None
International duty: Alan Pulido (Mexico)
FC Dallas vs Sporting Kansas City Predicted XI
FC Dallas predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Jimmy Maurer; Ryan Hollingshead, Bryan Reynolds, Reto Ziegler, Bressan; Tanner Tessmann, Bryan Acosta; Andrés Ricaurte, Fafa Picault, Michael Barrios; Franco Jara
Sporting Kansas City predicted XI (4-3-3): Tim Melia; Jaylin Lindsey, Winston Reid, Roberto Puncec, Amadou Dia; Cameron Duke, Felipe Hernandez, Gianluca Busio; Johnny Russell, Gerso, Khiry Shelton
FC Dallas vs Sporting Kansas City prediction
Sporting KC have won three games on the trot and are in good form heading into the fixture. FC Dallas are winless in their last four games and have scored just twice in those games. Their defence has been their strength this season so far, but it has not been complemented well by the attack in order to yield positive results.
Sporting's Erik Hurtado won the MLS goal of the week award following an outrageous volley against Nashville and can again prove a threat to the Dallas defence.
Though there are notable absentees from both the teams for the fixture, we think the visitors have the upper hand against Dallas due to their superior form and Dallas' wastefulness in front of the goal. A fourth consecutive win for Sporting looks like the most probably outcome in the midweek clash.
Prediction: FC Dallas 0-2 Sporting Kansas City
