Sounders vs. Sporting KC, updates: Erik Thommy gets an early one
SOUNDERS 0, SPORTING KC 1: Erik Thommy scored in the 4th minute, easily beating Stefan Frei from about 12 yards. The goal snapped the Sounders 468-minute home shutout streak that dated to last season.
A dream start for #SportingKC in the first 5 minutes.
Erik Thommy starts and finishes the attack to put the visitors in front. pic.twitter.com/CJL46HVS5I — Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2023
LINEUPS: The Sounders are using a familiar formation but shifting players in an unusual way. Jordan Morris will move back to the No. 9, with Héber dropping to the No. 10 and Nicolás Lodeiro moving to the right. Reed Baker-Whiting also enters the lineup as a right back, moving Alex Roldán to the left.
Sporting KC comes into Sunday’s game in a pretty bad place. They’ve already tied the MLS record for fewest points through 10 games (3) and if they don’t win, they’ll tie the record for longest season-opening winless streak.
The Sounders, meanwhile, are just a point off the Supporters’ Shield lead (20) and are 4-0-1 in their first five home games.
On paper, it seems like it’s lining up for a decisive Sounders win.
It could be a bit more complicated than that. For all of Sporting KC’s struggles, they’ve actually looked pretty good on the road against some of their tougher opponents. On April 22, they probably should have gotten a point on the road against the New England Revolution despite playing much of the second half down a man. A few weeks earlier, they also played the Philadelphia Union to a 0-0 road tie.
Adding just a bit more complication is that the Sounders will be missing João Paulo (suspension) and Cristian Roldan (concussion protocol).
Notes
The Sounders are trying to win consecutive matches against Sporting KC for the first time since beating them in May 2013 and March 2014.
The Sounders are attempting to become the first team in MLS history to register shutouts in each of their first six home games of a season. Two others have posted five straight home shutouts to start a season.
Jordan Morris scored four goals in the Sounders’ previous game against Sporting KC, half of his 2023 total. That’s also one more goal than Sporting KC has scored all year.
Johnny Russell has six goals in 10 career appearances against the Sounders. No one has scored more against the Sounders since Russell came to MLS in 2018.
Absences: Injury, international duty and suspension
Seattle
QUESTIONABLE: Nouhou (Illness)
OUT: Cristian Roldan (Concussion Protocol); Kelyn Rowe (Left Knee Sprain); Raúl Ruidíaz (Right Hamstring Strain); João Paulo (yellow card suspension)
Sporting KC
QUESTIONABLE: Graham Zusi (muscle strain); Nemanja Radoja (hamstring)
OUT: Kortne Ford (Achilles surgery); Tim Leibold (hamstring); Kayden Pierre (hamstring); Willy Agada (tibia stress fracture)
Officials
REF: Victor Rivas; AR1: Lyes Arfa; AR2: Mike Rottersman; 4TH: Jeremy Kieso; VAR: Carol Anne Chenard; AVAR: Jeff Muschik
How to Watch
Match date/kickoff time: Sunday, 1:55 PM PT
Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
Global Streaming English: MLS Season Pass (Keith Costigan & Maurice Edu)
Global Streaming Spanish: MLS Season Pass (Jose Hernandez & Pablo Mariño)
English TV: Fox (Nate Bukaty & Tony Meola)
Local Radio: 950 KJR-AM Seattle, iHeartMedia (Danny Jackson & Steve Zakuani)
Local Spanish Radio: El Rey 1360 AM (Rodriguez, Maqueda, Tapia)
Is this game available to stream for free? Yes
Will Sounders radio be available as an alternate feed? Yes
Lineups
Highlights will be posted as the match progresses.
This is Seattle Sounders vs. Sporting KC; watch with us
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Source: Sounder At Heart
