Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs – Conference Semifinals
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC
Children's Mercy Park – Kansas City
December 3 – 8:30 PM ET
TV: FOX, FOX Deportes, TSN 1/4, TVA Sports
STREAMING: FOX Sports App in US
Upsets against the top two seeds in the East opened the door for Sporting Kansas City to have home field advantage throughout the remainder of the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, but Minnesota United will come to Children's Mercy Park confident coming off their first playoff win when the sides square off Dec. 3 in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The winner meets Seattle Sounders FC for a right to play in the MLS Cup Final on Dec. 12.
Sporting survived a Round One scare, advancing past the San Jose Earthquakes with Tim Melia providing the penalty-kick shootout heroics again, while the Loons enjoyed the most comfortable win of the opening round, defeating the Colorado Rapids 3-0 at Allianz Field.
This is the fourth meeting between the teams this season. SKC have won the last two matchups, including 1-0 at Children's Mercy Park on Sept. 13 after the Loons were victorious at the MLS is Back Tournament in July.
- SKC or Minnesota: Which team will the Sounders prefer in conference final?
- Pulido or Reynoso: Which star will shine brightest on Thursday night?
- SKC's Melia: "I don't think you can be 'good' at penalties"
- "Nicest rivalry in sports"? SKC have not been hospitable to Loons prior to Thursday's clash
- Wiebe: One big question for SKC and Minnesota ahead of WC Semifinal
- Vermes: Pulido in line to return against Minnesota
- Mind games? Vermes and Heath disagree on underdog status
- MLS Cup hosting scenarios: Where the 2020 final could take place
- Now who's the MLS Cup favorite? Check out 538's latest projections
- Watch: Tim Melia explains how he made MLS shootout history
- The most incredible MLS weekend ever? Here are the top 5 moments
- #PlayYourKids: Three teens score in Round One matches
- Zakuani: Three takeaways from Sunday's playoff action
- SKC believe they're "built for the playoffs" after surviving Quakes scare
- Heath: Loons hope to bring back Molino, "very close" to deal
- Underdogs no more: Loons buoyant after emphatic first playoff win
Sporting Kansas City
Peter Vermes expected a tricky Round One match against the Earthquakes and it duly delivered, with Sporting advancing via a penalty-kick shootout after the teams played to a scintillating 3-3 draw after 120 minutes Sunday at Children's Mercy Park.
Gianluca Busio appeared to score the dramatic stoppage-time equalizer after a sensational back-heel from Khiry Shelton. But Chris Wondolowski leveled for the Quakes at the death. Melia would place himself in the record books by saving all three San Jose shootout attempts to send SKC through.
Star forward Alan Pulido is line to make a much-anticipated return from a knee injury, although Vermes was coy about whether he'd feature from the start or off the bench. The club's most expensive signing only made 11 starts for Sporting this year, but was plenty productive when he was on the field, scoring six goals and dishing out five assists in 962 minutes.
"You don't replace him. He's a special player within our team," Vermes said. "As you all know it was a big objective of ours last season to add him to the team. So you don't replace him. Yeah, this is the important time, this is what you fight all year long to get to, to have those players be in your team and help you along the way. That's why we do what we do."
Vermes pegged the Loons as the favorite, citing punditry he's seen that has them topping his No. 1 seed SKC side.
"We've played them before, we've watched them play, both teams know each other pretty well," Vermes said. "I think they're actually in a good place, they're in good form. We know how dangerous they can be and how competitive they are. Look, we'll have to be at our best if we're able to achieve success against them. They're a very, very good team. That's why they're favored to win.
"That's what pundits are saying, so I'm going with what they say, that's what I hear, that's what I see," he added.
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Felipe Gutierrez (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Graham Zusi (D) - left midfoot sprain
- OUT: Matt Besler (D) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: Winston Reid (D), Amadou Dia (D), Johnny Russell (F), Roger Espinoza (M)
- International duty: None
Minnesota United
In an opening round of the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs known for dramatic penalty-kick shootouts and games decided by razor-thin margins, Minnesota United claimed the round's most lopsided win, defeating the Rapids 3-0 at Allianz Field. It was the Loons first playoff win in their second appearance after losing at home to the LA Galaxy a year ago.
Kevin Molino struck for a brace, Robin Lod added a goal and Emanuel Reynoso had a pair of assists to lead the way in an emphatic victory.
Now after a historic first playoff win, Minnesota United are looking to make even more history with their first win at Children's Mercy Par. "Blue Hell" has lived up to its name for the Loons, who are winless in five all-time meetings with SKC, having been outscored 11-1.
"I've made no secret of the fact that when we got through [Round One], and we knew that we were going to play KC, I said the only thing that we have to do is play an awful lot better than we have done," Adrian Heath said in a video conference call with reporters Monday. "We've been, at best, awful at times there, hopeless at times. We have to address that, we have to play better. We have to go in there with a different mindset. ... The one thing i am sure about is we will be better than we've been certainly there in the last couple of years. This group will be better. I'm almost certain of that."
As for the notion the Loons are the favorites?
"I get on really well with Peter so I'll have to ask him the question on what criteria he's going on," Adrian Heath said. "Is it the fact that they won the West at the top of the league that we're favorites now? We haven't won a game there, so it's a little bit mystifying that one. Maybe that's Peter playing some games. But, hey, whoever's favored I know it's going to be a really difficult game for us. I can't talk about how they would approach the game, only the way that we are. And we have to be better than we have been, otherwise I know sitting here what the outcome's going to be. But I fully expect us to be different as well."
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Tyler Miller (GK) - hip injury
- OUT: Ike Opara (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Luis Amarilla (F) - ankle injury
- OUT: Sam Gleadle (D) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: Michael Boxall (D)
- International duty: None
Series Matchup at Sporting KC
- Sporting KC: 5 wins, 11 goals
- Minnesota United: 0 wins, 1 goal
- 0 draws
MLS Cup Playoffs
- This is the first all-time Audi MLS Cup Playoffs meeting between Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United
Officials
- Referee: Drew Fischer
- Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Peter Manikowski
- 4th Official: Victor Rivas
- VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
