Although they are from different Conferences, it is a fight for first at 2:30 CT from historic Soldier Field with SKC & the Fire. How to catch the game, FOX Sports KC, FOX Sports Midwest, Univision, TUDN, Univision NOW, TUDN.com, ESPN 94.5FM or La Grande 1340 AM, wow half a dozen outlets impressive. A trio of hours of various coverages and it is a national game on Univision & TUDN.
Oct. is a tough one for the visitors who take their 29 points to Chicago facing a team with 10 less in the Fire. This will be their 5th game in 15 days and less than a full 3 days since their loss at Dallas FC, 1-0 Wed. that broke their 3 games long winning streak. Ryan Hollingshead put the hosts ahead in the first half, with 3' to go a Russell goal was called back on a foul on Jimmy Mauer during some goalmouth action, the first shutout on the season, and stopping an MLS tops 16 games straight with a goal.
Even with that difficult loss, they are but a single point from first in the West, knotted up with Seattle and Mauer's ex-coach Saverese now of the Timbers. A win and they are in first with a trio of weeks to play in the MLS regular season. It is a bigger game for the Fire as they are tied with Atlanta for the last playoff spot in the East, hoping to get only playoff spot #2 over the last 9 seasons. A bigger factor in favor of the Fire is their longer rest in not having played since Wed. was put off due to Covid-19, they will have had 6 days off, that last one being a 2-1 victory where Alvar Medran assisted Sekulic and Sapong an ex player for Sporting. Medran leads the team with 28 chances and half a dozen assists as Beric leads with 7 goals in his first MLS season.
Another Fire figure in the first year is HC Wicky, who while with the USMNT U-17's had Busio of SKC on his team, he has this team at 4-1-1 at home and 3-1-1 in the last 5 games, yes that loss was to SKC 1-0 in KC. SKC had the benefit of a saved PK from Long Islander Tim Melia on a Beric effort and defender Reid had his first goal off a corner from Russell at 67'.
Thus far the Fire have burnt KC 26-18-11 back to 1998. Of late the hot hand goes to Sporting, taking 6 of the last 7 and all 4 since 2017, last trip was a 4-3 away win with Russell, Gutierrez & Salloi netting.
The Fire ae back to Soldier Field where they played for the first 7 years, then 6 at SeatGeek Stadium. The ride a 3 game home win streak. Sporting, then the Wizards have not been here since 2005, their first ever victory there at 3-2.
This week is the 20 year anniversary of SKC taking the 2000 MLS Cup over the Fire in DC. Tony Meola, now the Fire color man had 10 saves and a Molnar goal gave them the win, HC Vermes of KC played the full game and is now the longest running HC in the league.
See training video of SKC on the Facebook page of Soccer Kansas City Magazine.