Sporting KC Hosts Nashville SC on Saturday

April 8, 2022 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release

Sporting Kansas City (2-4-0, 6 points) will welcome Western Conference newcomers Nashville SC (2-2-1, 7 points) to Children's Mercy Park at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. Tickets for the Midwestern match-up are available online at SeatGeek.com and former Sporting KC defender Aurelien Collin will be in attendance to sign autographs for fans on the Mazuma Plaza.

Saturday's showdown will be locally televised on 38 The Spot with three hours of coverage beginning at 7 p.m. CT. The broadcast will also stream live on SportingKC.com and in the Sporting KC app for viewers in Kansas and Missouri (excluding St. Louis area per MLS policy), as well as ESPN+ for out-of-market subscribers. In addition, radio broadcasts will be available on Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.

Sporting enters Saturday as just one of two teams in MLS with a perfect home record in 2022 with 1-0 victories over Houston and Real Salt Lake in March. It marks the first time since 2013 - when Sporting went on to win MLS Cup - for the team to record shutouts in their first two regular season home matches of a campaign.

Meanwhile, Nashville will continue an eight-game road trip to start the season while awaiting the club's highly-anticipated home opener at GEODIS Park next month. Nashville, which has the most shutouts (15) and fewest losses (6) of any team in Major League Soccer since the start of 2021, opened the year with a 1-0 win at Seattle and is coming off a 1-0 win at Columbus last weekend.

An expansion team in 2020, Nashville SC and Sporting KC have played only once previously with SKC coming from behind to win 2-1 at Children's Mercy Park during Nashville's inaugural season. Like Sporting KC, Nashville SC has reached the Conference Semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of the past two years. In doing so, Nashville became the first expansion team in MLS history to advance in the postseason in each of their first two seasons.

Nashville's roster is headlined by U.S. Men's National Team starter Walker Zimmerman, who has claimed MLS Defender of the Year accolades in each of the past two seasons, and playmaker Hany Mukhtar, who finished runner-up in MLS MVP voting last season with 16 goals and 12 assists. Gary Smith's squad also features two former Sporting KC forwards in Teal Bunbury (2010-2013) and C.J. Sapong (2011-2014). Both players were drafted by Sporting and played the first four seasons of their professional careers in Kansas City with Sapong winning MLS Rookie of the Year honors in 2011.

Bunbury, however, will be one of three players out for the visitors on Saturday due to a knee injury along with defender Robert Castellanos (ankle) and midfielder Dax McCarty, who has played the fifth most matches in MLS history but was suspended by the MLS Disciplinary Committee. Conversely, Designated Players Gadi Kinda and Alan Pulido remain sidelined for Sporting with long-term injuries.

Hill's Pet Nutrition will serve as the title night sponsor for Saturday's match, highlighted by an adoption showcase at halftime featuring dogs from local animal welfare partners Wayside Waifs, Great Plains SPCA and Kansas City, Kansas Pet Services. Hill's will sponsor 50 percent of the adoption fees of 10 pets from each shelter, totaling up to 30 pets, during a special promotion from April 9-17 and all dog owners in attendance at Children's Mercy Park on Saturday will have the opportunity to take home a complimentary gift courtesy of Hill's Pet Nutrition.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Nashville SC

2022 MLS Regular Season | Match 7

Saturday, April 9 | 7:30 p.m. CT (7:38 kickoff)

Children's Mercy Park | Kansas City, Kan.

Broadcast Schedule:

English TV | 38 The Spot

Streaming | SportingKC.com, SKC App, ESPN+

English Radio | Sports Radio 810 WHB

Spanish Radio | La Grande 1340 AM

Major League Soccer Stories from April 8, 2022

• Columbus Crew Begins Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Play against USL Championship Side Detroit City FC on April 19 - Columbus Crew SC
• Minnesota United Face Forward Madison in Third Round of U.S. Open Cup - Minnesota United FC
• Rapids Aim to Keep Unbeaten Run Alive in Texas - Colorado Rapids
• Earthquakes to Host Bay Cities FC in Third Round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on April 19 - San Jose Earthquakes
• Houston Dynamo FC to Host Rio Grande Valley FC in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on April 19 - Houston Dynamo FC
• MLS Suspends Austin FC Player Cecilio Domínguez - Austin FC
• MLS Suspends Austin FC Player Cecilio Domínguez - MLS
• New York Red Bulls Draw Hartford Athletic in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round - New York Red Bulls
• Sporting KC Hosts Nashville SC on Saturday - Sporting Kansas City
• Academy Update: Previewing the 2022 GA Cup - Inter Miami CF
• FC Dallas Hosts FC Tulsa in Third Round of 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - FC Dallas
• Chicago Fire FC to Begin Quest for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Soldier Field against Union Omaha FC - Chicago Fire FC
• What to Watch for as Nashville SC Travels to Sporting Kansas City - Nashville SC
• Miguel Ramírez: "My Players Feel That as a Team They Aren't Better Than Us" - Charlotte FC
• Match Preview: Atlanta United vs. Charlotte FC - Atlanta United FC
• Orlando City to Host Chicago on Saturday - Orlando City SC
• CF Montréal Visits New York Red Bulls Saturday Afternoon - Club de Foot Montreal
• Inter Miami CF Announces Audacy as Local Radio Partner - Inter Miami CF
• Orlando City SC to Host Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - Orlando City SC
• Charlotte FC to Play Greenville Triumph SC in the Third Round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - Charlotte FC
• Atlanta United Draws Chattanooga FC in U.S. Open Cup Third Round - Atlanta United FC
• Inter Miami CF to Play Miami FC in Third Round of the 2022 U.S. Open Cup - Inter Miami CF
• Houston Dynamo FC Return to PNC Stadium After Key Victory on the Road - Houston Dynamo FC
• Revolution Visit Inter Miami CF Saturday on ESPN - New England Revolution
• New York City Football Club and Science in Sport Expand Partnership to NYCFC II and All Academy Teams - New York City FC
• Streaming Details for 2022 Generation adidas Cup Announced - MLS
• FC Cincinnati to Host Pittsburgh Riverhounds in U.S. Open Cup Third Round - FC Cincinnati
• D.C. United to Play against NISA Side Flower City Union in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - D.C. United
• Real Salt Lake Return Home against Toronto FC with 6:00 p.m. MT Kickoff Saturday in Sandy - Real Salt Lake
• Josef Martinez to Miss Approximately 6-8 Weeks - Atlanta United FC
• MNUFC Academy to Feature in the 2022 Generation adidas Cup - Minnesota United FC
• Ronald Matarrita and Ben Mines Undergo Successful Ankle Surgeries - FC Cincinnati
• CF Montréal Signs Jojea Kwizera - Club de Foot Montreal

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Sporting Kansas City Stories

• Sporting KC Weekly
• Sporting KC Falls to Narrow 1-0 Defeat at Portland
• Sporting KC Takes on Portland Timbers on Saturday
• Sporting KC Weekly
• Sporting KC Earns Gritty Win over LA Galaxy