Related items

• Seattle Sounders v Sporting Kansas City: Schmetzer wary of ‘dangerous’ visitors

  Brian Schmetzer was under no illusion that the Seattle Sounders’ upcoming MLS fixture against Sporting Kansas City will be anything but easy.

  The Sounders returned to winning ways in style, comfortably dispatching Leagues Cup winners Columbus Crew 4-0 away from home last time out.

  Schmetzer’s side find themselves sitting fifth in the Western Conference table, with the advantage of having four of their remaining six MLS fixtures at Lumen Field.

  And the Sounders head coach insisted their home form would be critical until the end of the season, but he acknowledged the task awaiting his players in their next game.

  “It is critical. We need to tell the players the importance of home games because last year Sporting KC came here and beat us and it gave them life, while also putting them on a little bit of a run,” Schmetzer said.

  “They have an Open Cup final to look forward to, so they are a dangerous opponent. We want to make sure that we get as many points as possible in these home games because we have this advantage.

  “They are a similar team to us. It is the MLS, there are ebbs and flows in every season with every team, so we have to be careful.”

  Kansas City, meanwhile, are riding the crest of a wave having gone unbeaten in their last three matches in all competitions, including securing a place in the US Open Cup final.

  But their latest result saw them concede an 89th-minute equaliser against the New York Red Bulls, taking their total to 22 points dropped from winning positions this season, the joint-most in the MLS.

  But despite that late setback, head coach Peter Vermes is relishing the battle against a side right in the thick of the playoff picture.

  “We have had a lot of good matches against each other over the years,” Vermes said.

  “I always think that if you are a fan, or just an innocent bystander watching the game, it always winds up being something that you enjoy because it’s always a good game to watch.

  “Both teams try to play and there is a lot of competition between the two teams. It’s physical but it’s never dirty and all of us enjoy participating in those kind of games.”

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak

  Rusnak netted his first career MLS hat-trick in Seattle’s 4-0 win over Columbus last time out.

  He became the first Slovakian to score an MLS treble, the 51st different country to have at least one of its representatives score a hat-trick in regular season MLS play.

  Kansas City – Johnny Russell

  Russell has scored a career-best seven regular season goals against the Sounders, including netting one in the meeting between the sides in June.

  Only Chris Wondolowski (12), Robbie Keane (nine) and Fanendo Adi (eight) have scored more regular season goals against Seattle than the Scot.

  MATCH PREDICTION: SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN

  While Seattle are predicted to emerge victorious according to Opta’s data-led simulations, the Sounders have lost back-to-back home matches, both against Los Angeles FC, in the Leagues Cup and US Open Cup.

  Seattle have only lost three of their last 17 matches going back to the beginning of May, with all three defeats coming at the hands of LAFC (W10 D4 L0 vs. all other teams).

  Kansas City have enjoyed recent trips to Lumen Field, however, winning four of their last five visits to Seattle (L1) after recording just two wins in their first 11 matches against the Sounders in all competitions (D2, L7).

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Seattle Sounders – 53.5%

  Draw – 23.8%

  Kansas City – 22.6%

• Al-Riyadh 0-3 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double sends hosts top

  Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice late on to secure Al-Hilal a 3-0 win over Al-Riyadh, sending them top of the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.

  Salem Al-Dawsari orchestrated the victory though, scoring one and assisting both of Mitrovic's goals, while Marcos Leonardo was denied a strike of his own.

  Al-Hilal dominated the first half, managing 10 shots as they smothered the hosts, but they could not find a breakthrough, only testing Milan Borjan twice.

  Both sides moved through the gears in the second half though, with Ibrahim Bayesh rifling a powerful effort against the woodwork minutes after the break for the hosts.

  Al-Dawsari found a way through shortly after – he made a sensational run down the left before cutting inside and dinking a lovely shot over Borjan and in off the far post.

  Leonardo ran off the back of Al-Riyadh's defence and scored a chip of his own, only to have the goal ruled out as he started his run too early.

  Mitrovic made sure of the three points after 80 minutes as he slotted in from a tight angle and got his second in the 100th minute to round off a good day for Al-Hilal. 

  Data Debrief: Al-Dawsari steals the show

  After struggling to find their shooting boots in the first half, Al-Hilal can be thankful for their left-winger, who caused all sorts of problems for Al-Riyadh.

  He had the most touches in the opposition box (seven), and created the most chances (four), while only Ruben Neves (27) made more passes than him in the final third (22).

• 'You cannot switch off for one second' - Silva rues late West Ham equaliser

  Marco Silva conceded Fulham "cannot switch off for one second" in the Premier League, after Danny Ings' last-gasp equaliser denied the Cottagers all three points against West Ham.

  The hosts appeared on course to take the spoils in the London derby at Craven Cottage, where Raul Jimenez put them in front after 24 minutes.

  However, the visitors snatched a dramatic equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when substitute Ings fired past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

  And Silva acknowledged his side's brief lapse in concentration proved costly.

  "It just shows that in this Premier League, you cannot switch off for one second," he told BBC Sport. "We are aware of the quick throws, and we have to keep focus and concentration.

  "A big frustration for us because, before that, it was a good performance. It was clear we were the best team on the pitch. They did not have one shot [on target] in the first half.

  "We should have won this game. It was not a game where West Ham pushed us back. The goal came after we switched off. It just shows you have to keep focus until the last second."

  Silva also felt Fulham should have been awarded a first-half penalty when Adama Traore was challenged by Max Kilman.

  "It was a clear, clear, penalty in my opinion," he added. "It's difficult to understand why it was not a penalty in that situation. I don't even want to say anything more about it."

  Meanwhile, West Ham boss paid tribute to Ings, who was making only his second Premier League appearance of the season - with both coming as a late substitute.

  "It was a very 'Danny Ings' goal!", Lopetegui told West Ham's official website. "He is always agile in those kinds of actions, and he took his chance very well.

  "I'm really happy for him, because he hasn't played much up until now, but he is always ready to go. He is a really good example to all of his team-mates, and it's great to see his work pay off.

  "As a player, it can be hard when you don't know when the coach is going to call you. The important thing is to try and always be ready, because you are going to be needed at some point.

  "Scoring in the last minute today is important, because he's shown everyone that you have to believe until the end. Even though there were things we could do better today, we kept going, and we got something out of the game."