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MLS Playoffs | Regular Season

Jun 15, 2025 at 1.30am UK

Children's Mercy Park

Kansas
vs.
Dallas

Football

Preview: Sporting Kansas City vs Dallas - prediction, team news, lineups

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter

Published: June 12 2025 | 12:19

Last updated: June 12 2025 | 13:58

Sports Mole previews Sunday's MLS fixture between Sporting Kansas City and Dallas, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Sporting Kansas City play host to FC Dallas on Saturday night each looking to kick-start their MLS campaign.

The two clubs currently sit in 12th and 11th place in the Western Conference table having only won four games apiece this season.

Match preview

When Sporting Kansas City started May by recording their third win in five matches, it felt like their campaign was only heading in one direction after a disappointing start.

However, that has been backed up by just six points being accumulated from as many games, their solitary victory during that time coming at 10th-placed Houston Dynamo.

On a positive note, though, a four-game unbeaten streak had been put together until they succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at LAFC last time out.

Kerry Zavagnin's side had been leading that contest until conceding just before half time, the equaliser ultimately changing the course of the game.

Sporting Kansas do have home games to catch up on, however, and have the opportunity to improve on eight points coming from seven fixtures at Children's Mercy Park.

As for FC Dallas, they head into this encounter having failed to win any of their last six matches in all competitions.

Their last success in the MLS came all the way back on April 27 when they overcame Inter Miami by a 4-3 scoreline.

Eric Quill will recognise that his team need to turn things around, even though they are in their same finishing position from 2024 with a game in hand on many of the teams above them.

Dallas' away form is one of the best in the Western Conference, collecting 13 points from their nine such fixtures and losing just the twice. That said, the two defeats came in the last three away encounters.

Sporting Kansas City form (all competitions):

Dallas form (all competitions):

Team News

Jake Davis could be recalled to the Sporting KC midfield as a replacement for Memo Rodriguez.

Tim Leibold may also be considered for a start at left-back, but Zavagnin may not over-react to the defeat at LAFC.

Meanwhile, Dallas will be forced into at least one change courtesy of Lalas Abubakar being dismissed for two yellow cards last time out.

Providing that Osaze Urhoghide is available again after a leg injury, he could return as a straight replacement in the middle of the backline.

However, with other central defender Sebastien Ibeagha also serving a one-match ban, Marco Farfan may deputise with Nolan Norris returning at left-back.

Sporting Kansas City possible starting lineup:

Pulskamp; Shelton, Miller, Fernandez, Ndenbe; Bartlett, Davis; Suleymanov, Garcia, Salloi; Joveljic

Dallas possible starting lineup:

Paes; Moore, Urhoghide, Farfan, Norris; Delgado, Ramiro; Julio, Acosta, Kaick; Musa

SM words green background

We say: Sporting Kansas City 1-1 Dallas

With wins in short supply for both sides, it is difficult to back either team with any confidence. Taking that into account, as well as both teams drawing three of their last five matches, a low-scoring stalemate appears to be the most likely outcome.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Darren Plant

Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats, suggests the most likely outcome of this match is a Sporting Kansas City win with a probability of 57.55%. A win for Dallas has a probability of 21.46% and a draw has a probability of 21%.

The most likely scoreline for a Sporting Kansas City win is 2-1 with a probability of 9.78%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome are 2-0 (8.19%) and 1-0 (7.92%). The likeliest Dallas win is 1-2 (5.64%), while for a drawn scoreline it is 1-1 (9.45%).