KC Reporter

Sporting Kansas City will play against the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field on Sunday night, continuing a challenging stretch of matches. The game is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on FS1 and FOX Deportes, as well as streamed on Apple TV+ through MLS Season Pass. Local radio coverage will be provided by Sports Radio 810 WHB.

The team is coming off a 3-1 loss to Orlando City at Inter & Co Stadium, which followed a lengthy weather delay. This match was part of a demanding run in which Sporting has faced nine consecutive opponents currently above the playoff line. The four-game series concludes with Sunday's fixture against Seattle, after previous matches against Vancouver, San Diego, and Orlando.

In recent games, Sporting Kansas City has shown improvement in attack while using a 4-4-2 formation. The club recorded expected goals (xG) figures of 2.69 against San Diego and 1.98 against Orlando, both higher than its season average of 1.44 and above the league average of 1.65.

Currently eight points away from the ninth and final postseason spot, Sporting's playoff chances are limited. Interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin has collected 23 points since taking over in March, with a record of six wins, nine losses, and five draws.

Sporting has had success in past visits to Seattle, winning four out of their last six games at Lumen Field since 2019. Their most recent visit resulted in a 2-0 defeat on September 15, 2024. In that match, Jackson Ragen and Paul Rothrock scored for Seattle before Tim Melia saved a penalty from Albert Rusnak—the second-to-last penalty save of Melia’s career.

Earlier this season at Children’s Mercy Park, Sporting lost to Seattle 3-2 after conceding three first-half goals but responded with two penalties from Dejan Joveljic and Santi Munoz in the second half.

Dejan Joveljic ended his scoring drought by netting Sporting’s only goal against Orlando City last weekend. It marked his team-leading 14th goal this season—tied for eighth-best in club history—and is now the second-highest total by a newcomer for Kansas City behind Preki’s record set in 1996.

Mason Toye made his first start for Sporting Kansas City during the Orlando match and assisted Joveljic’s goal after breaking through Orlando’s defense early in the game. This was Toye's first assist since June 2023 when he played for CF Montreal.

Midfielder Zorhan Bassong wore the captain’s armband for Sporting Kansas City for the first time last weekend due to injuries and lineup changes affecting regular captains Erik Thommy and Daniel Salloi. Bassong joined Sporting ahead of the 2024 season and moved from left back to central midfield last August; he has since become an established presence on the field and earned another call-up to Canada’s national team.