Sporting KC vs Nashville SC Match Analysis & Prediction
21/09/2023 3:30 am
Sporting Kansas City will host Nashville SC at Children’s Mercy Park on Thursday morning, in the latest round of MLS fixtures.
It is set to be a cross-conference match, with the hosts currently sitting 10th in the Western Conference while the visitors are seventh in the Eastern Conference.
Sporting KC are currently sitting just one point behind ninth-placed Portland Timbers, who occupy the final playoff spot.
A recent upturn in form has helped turn Sporting KC into playoff contenders, having won three of their four matches since the MLS season resumed, with their only defeat coming away against US Open Cup winners Inter Miami.
Over the past 20 matches, no Western Conference side has picked up more points than Kansas, who have hit a rich vein of form at exactly the right time, and they have been particularly impressive in matches at Children’s Mercy Park.
Sporting KC have picked up 10 points from their last four matches in front of their own fans, beating Western Conference league leaders St Louis City 2-1 at the beginning of September, with Alan Pulido bagging a brace.
Last time out, Peter Vermes’ side proved they also have what it takes to win away from home, beating Minnesota United 1-0 through an 84th-minute Gadi Kinda goal.
Nashville SC are tasked with foiling one of the league’s form sides on Thurday, but the signs are not promising heading into the contest, considering their MLS form has fallen off since the end of June.
Gary Smith’s side have lost six, drawn two and won just one of their last nine MLS matches, meaning they are now at risk of falling out of the top seven, which would deny them access to the quarter-final stage of the playoffs.
Since the MLS season resumed at the end of August, the Boys in Gold have scored just one goal, which came from the spot in their 1-1 draw against Charlotte in the last match, with Hany Mukhtar keeping his nerve to equalise in the 98th minute.
Mukhtar’s goal prevented Nashville from falling to yet another defeat, but they are now without a win in their last six MLS matches, which does not bode well before a game against a side in fantastic form.
Sporting KC vs. Nashville SC Head to head
In the three previous meetings between these two teams, Sporting KC have claimed two victories while Nashville SC have won one.
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12/10/2020Sporting KC2Nashville SC1MLS
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10/04/2022Sporting KC1Nashville SC2MLS
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20/06/2022Nashville SC1Sporting KC2MLS
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21/09/2023N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
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21/09/2023Sporting KCN/ANashville SCN/AMLS
Sporting KC Team News
Sporting KC will be without Kortne Ford, who is sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury, while Graham Zusi is unavailable due to a muscle issue.
Vermes is unlikely to ring the changes, but Kinda could replace Erik Thommy in central midfield, off the back of scoring the winner against Minnesota United last time out.
Sporting KC's Last 5 Matches
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05/08/2023Toluca4Sporting KC1Leagues Cup
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27/08/2023Sporting KC3SJ Earthquakes0MLS
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03/09/2023Sporting KC2St Louis City1MLS
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10/09/2023Inter Miami3Sporting KC2MLS
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17/09/2023Minnesota United0Sporting KC1MLS
Nashville SC Team News
Nashville SC’s only missing player is Nick DePuy, who is suffering with an Achilles injury, but Smith is otherwise having a fully-fit squad to choose from.
The manager may mix things up in attack, with Teal Bunbury and Alex Muyl potentially coming into the starting XI.
Nashville SC's Last 5 Matches
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16/08/2023Monterrey0Nashville SC2Leagues Cup
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20/08/2023Nashville SC1Inter Miami1(P)Leagues Cup
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27/08/2023Atlanta United4Nashville SC0MLS
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31/08/2023Inter Miami0Nashville SC0MLS
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03/09/2023Nashville SC1Charlotte1MLS
Sporting KC vs. Nashville SC: Odds and Predictions
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