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How to Watch Sporting Kansas City vs. LAFC: Preview, odds

Black-and-gold will aim to avoid any trap doors in KC.

By Alicia Rodriguez
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MLS: Sporting Kansas City at Los Angeles FC Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

LAFC will look to stay atop the Supporters’ Shield standings after they face Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday evening.

The black-and-gold went back atop the standings after Sunday’s 2-1 win over Nashville SC in Tennessee, the teams’ first-ever meeting. Cristian Arango had a deft finish to open the scoring, before Hany Mukhtar scored a penalty shortly before halftime to tie up the game. But Jose Cifuentes got the winner seconds into the 2nd half, and LAFC held off the hosts for the rest of the match. It was a tough game, one that felt like a playoff clash, and it featured a sparkling debut from Giorgio Chiellini and a shorter debut shift from Gareth Bale.

Sporting remain in unfamiliar territory this season, in last place in the Western Conference and having lost their last three home games. Most recently, they put in a limp performance on the road to lose 3-0 to one-time rivals Real Salt Lake. Their regular season is a wash at this point, but don’t let that fool you — not only are Sporting in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup and therefore still in contention to win a trophy this year, but they are not the type of team to lay down and let a team crush them, especially at home.

I’ll be honest, this screams “trap game” for LAFC, and it will be up to them to bring the intensity and not just assume they can walk in and pick up a victory. Even with Sporting nowhere near their imperious peak, expect this to be a battle, and hopefully LAFC come away with the win anyway.

Injuries/absences:

LAFC:

  • Julian Gaines (pelvis) — OUT
  • Danny Musovski (leg) — OUT
  • Brian Rodriguez (leg) — QUESTIONABLE

Kansas City:

  • Kortne Ford (suspended) — OUT
  • Ozzie Cisneros (hamstring) — OUT
  • Roger Espinoza (suspended) — OUT
  • Gadi Kinda (knee) — OUT
  • Alan Pulido (knee) — OUT
  • Tim Melia (shoulder) — QUESTIONABLE
  • Graham Zusi (quad) — QUESTIONABLE

Odds:

According to our partners at DraftKings Sportsbook, as of Saturday morning, LAFC are (+105), Sporting are (+220) and a draw is (+260), so LAFC are very slight favorites in what is basically a toss-up on the road. Would be nice for LAFC to grab three points, hopefully that’s what happens here.

How to Watch:

Saturday’s match between LAFC and Sporting KC will be televised locally on KCOP13 and Estrella 62.2 and streamed in the rest of the United States on ESPN+. The broadcast is scheduled to start at 5:30 pm PT with kickoff to come at 5:38.

Come chat about the game with us in the comment section below!

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