Both teams fighting for playoffs berth

MINNESOTA UNITED GAMEDAY

Loons at Sporting Kansas City, 8 p.m. Saturday at Children’s Mercy Park

TV, radio: Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, MNUFC Radio on 1500 ESPN

Today’s line: Minnesota United, +260

Pregame reading: What are Minnesota United’s playoff chances, and how can they get into the MLS playoffs?

For the fans: Kansas City has reached the playoffs in 10 of the previous 12 seasons since 2011 while the Loons seek to reach the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, the first four under now-fired head coach Adrian Heath.

Opening bell: Sporting KC went winless in its first 10 matches — 0-7-3 with just three goals scored from opening day in late February to early May. Since then, it has gone 11-7-5 and can make the playoffs by beating the Loons Saturday and getting some help in three other games.

Only three teams in MLS history have had a 10-game winless streak and still made the playoffs: Atlanta United with a 12-game streak in 2021, Sporting KC with 10 in 2011 and FC Dallas with 10 in 2005. No team, though, had such a streak to start the season.

Watch him: Striker Teemu Pukki is the first Loon to score four goals in a game since the club entered MLS in 2017. He did so two weeks ago in a 5-2 win over LA Galaxy. That’s the 17th time a player has scored four goals in a game. All four were scored within 31 minutes, tying the fastest record in league history and matching D.C. United’s Patrick Mullins’ four in a 2017 game against San Jose. Pukki has scored ten goals in 13 MLS games since arriving mid-season.

Sporting KC’s Alan Pulido scored his 14th goal this season last time out, Oct. 7 in a 3-2 win at Real Salt Lake. That’s tied for seventh in MLS this season even though he didn’t score his first goal until May.

Did you know? Versatile Joseph Rosales and veteran defender Brent Kallman traveled to Kansas City and could be used for spot duty in their first games back from injury.

Injuries: The Loons list no injuries. Sporting KC lists Pulido (foot) and F Johnny Russell (groin) as questionable and D Kortne Ford (Achilles surgery), D Tim Leibold (groin) and D Kayden Pierre (hamstring) as out.

Forecast: History isn’t on the Loons’ side, not with an 0-7 regular-season record at Children’s Mercy Park. They do have a 3-0 victory there in the 2020 MLS Cup playoffs, which advanced them to the Western Conference finals at Seattle. But Kansas City has beaten the Loons twice this season, 3-0 at home on May 13 and 1-0 at Allianz Field on Sept. 16.

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